Magic Man
by Harmony Valenka Smith
Summary: Sometimes life doesn't treat people with a great deal of respect. Sometimes it shoves them through life with no qualms about their feelings. Two people like this shall come together and find that together, it's not so bad. Rated T for blood, violence, some swearing, and "implied" scenes.
1. Chapter 1: How it Started

**Here is another Family Guy story. My other one is a crossover that I encourage you all to read. This one is... well, I won't give anything away, let's just say it'll get good. Hopefully, a look at the quote below will give you an idea to where I'm going with this. **

***I do not own Family Guy. All rights to all products go to their proper owners.* **

* * *

"A flower cannot blossom without sunshine, and man cannot live without love."

-Max Muller

* * *

Chapter 1: How it Started

I felt the air rush through my fur and the rain slap me. It was amazing how far I could be thrown. Oh, there's the ground. I cried out in pain and I shakily tried to get up. I was stopped.

"No, no, no! You stay down, you worthless shit!" My brother put his foot on my head and pushed me back down. He threw a white sheet onto my back and gave my ribs a good kick. I heard him walk away. "When I get back in this house, I want you to get up and walk as far as you can. When you think you can't walk anymore, keep walking. That's how far I want you to go." He kept walking back, but he had more to say. "Oh, and don't even think about coming back here ever again! I hereby disown you from this family. You aren't getting a damn thing from me or any of us. If I see you again, then you and whoever is keeping you safe will be in hot water, I swear it." He finally reached the door. "Now... go!"

For fear that he would do more to me than he already had, I ran off. I hopped the gate and ran down the dirt road through the forest. Tears began flowing from my eyes again, making it hard to see. _I hate him! I hate all of them! I swear, some day they shall pay for what they have done to me._ It wasn't too long before I reached the wall. The forest in which we were in was surrounded by a giant wall with a great black gate. I pulled, then pushed the doors open. I went out and shut them behind me. My back fell against the doors. I was finally free of them. I breathed heavily from my exertions, but found that my journey was far from over. A gunshot went off and barely missed me. I ran off, knowing that my other brother, the marksman, would nail me for sure if I didn't high-tail it out of there fast.

I ran on and on. Despite our forest being enclosed in great stone walls, there was an even greater forest beyond that I had to brave. I only hoped that the bleeding had stopped so that I could be safer. I went over and under many obstacles, hearing noises both around me and in my head. It was driving me mad. I didn't stop running until I reached the highway. A car zoomed past me, blaring its horn. I was about to be grimly reminded why the Dogg family never went outside their walls.

I followed the road to my left and just walked. I hugged the sheet tight around me and tried to shut out the rain. It wasn't long before I reached a sign: Quahog: City Limits. _Great._ I made sure to stick to the shadows as much as possible. It was better if I wasn't seen.

After walking on without the rain letting up in the slightest, I caught a whiff of something that smelled really good. I followed the smell to a French restaurant. It was called: Qu'Est-ce que pue Restaurant. "Huh, irony," I muttered to myself, knowing fully well what the sign translated to be in English. I went to the back and found a dumpster full of food. Being a dog and being as how I never got dinner, I dived right in. I wasn't picky. After a little bit, I swallowed what I had been eating hastily and jumped out. "I'd give that a 7 out of 10. It has some French origins, but there are obviously things that are changed to suit American's taste buds." While it was true that I was an American by birth, I was only just. I'll explain that part later.

Anyway, after my dumpster dive adventure, I made my way to the front of the restaurant. I looked in at all the people having dinner. They all seemed to be having a good time. I scanned over the tables and noticed many guys and girls at tables. I even saw one couple that kissed. I turned away. It didn't seem right to linger here. So, I kept walking.

It turns out that the point where I couldn't walk anymore was in a residential part of town. I was on Spooner St. _Ha, Spoons..._ I was so tired that I was beginning to feel loopy. Normally, I could stay up really late, but now... due to all the running and panic of the last few hours, I was beat. I finally decided to go up the walkway to a random house and just lie down and die.

I looked up to see a yellow house with two stories. It also had a blue-green roof and a red door. _Well, this is as good a place as any._ I went to the middle of the walkway and fell onto my back. I groaned from the impact of the fall. The rain kept going, so I pulled the sheet closer to me. I shivered in the night air. _I just don't care anymore. Whatever happens, happens._

* * *

Brian

I was confidant this night was going to go perfect. When I met Emily, I thought she was a very nice girl and that we shared a lot of the same interests. I asked her to dinner tonight, so I hope things go well. I'm not sure how much more rejection I can take. _Whoa, cool it, Brian. You're not even there yet and you're already having thoughts of doom._ I turned on the radio in my car to make me feel better.

Once I made it to Qu'Est-ce que pue Restaurant, I told the man my name and got my table. Now, all I had to do was wait for my date. I smiled. I was so sure that she would show up, so sure that nothing would go wrong... then the wait began. I waited ten minutes... then twenty... after thirty minutes, I figured she wasn't going to show up, so I left.

I went to my car and felt my eyes stinging from the effort to keep back tears. "Keep it together, Brian, it's not the end of the world," I told myself. I got in my car and decided to drive home and have a drink... actually, a lot of drinks.

When I got home, I noticed something on the walkway. I took my coat off and held it above my head as I went over to investigate it. It turned out to be a female dog, a white Labrador, to be exact. The rain didn't seem to be letting up any time soon, so I decided I'd take her inside... if she was still alive. She smelled pretty close to dead. She was wrapped in a sheet, so I kept her wrapped in it as I picked her up. I hefted her onto one of my shoulders as I took out the house key and unlocked the house. I went inside and put her on the couch. She was muttering in her sleep, but I couldn't distinguish any of it. She was shivering and her eyes were scarcely open, so I took out my cell phone and decided to call the vet.

"NO!" I tell you, that scared the crap out of me. She just shot up and screamed 'NO!'

"Ah, what?!" I asked, surprised.

"Don't call the vet. I would get in _so_ much trouble if I was discovered."

"What do you mean?"

She paused. "It's a long story... you wouldn't want to hear it. Give me a piece of paper and a pencil and I'll give you a number you _can_ call. I have a friend who's studied biology and anatomy to the point that he's better than most doctors in the area. _He_ I trust and _he_ you shall call. I'll also need to listen in on the conversation. He has gotten in a lot of trouble in the past and prefers to speak in code. Only I understand his code... at least, to my knowledge. I can only hope the calls of the city aren't being traced."

"Okay..."

"Please don't question me, just do it."

"All right! Sheesh..." I went off to the kitchen and got the pad of paper and pen that was typically used for taking down messages. I came back and she seemed more settled than before, but far from well.

"All right, here's the number: 401-554-3308." I typed in the number and put it on speaker phone.

"There, now you can talk to him," I said.

"Thank you."

The phone picked up, "Hello?" asked a voice.

"Hello, Father. I was hoping I could do my confession over the phone."

"Proceed, my child, and tell me your sins," he replied.

"Father, I have wandered far from home and my thoughts are straying to the most unrighteous of natures. My spirit is most constricted and my heart can't take it. Father, please forgive me of my sins."

"I shall come to you, my child, and pray over you. Where are you?"

"I am lying upon a hallowed spoon, Father. Please... come quickly, Father."

"Righteousness reaches the innocent much sooner than you would think, my child. Good-bye."

"Good-bye, Father."

It wasn't even a minute after she said good-bye that there was a rhythmic knocking at the door. I went over to it and answered. A tall man with shaggy white hair and clerical robes stood at the doorstep. "I heard there was a child in need of forgiveness at this household," he said.

"Hello, Father," said the female dog from the couch.

"May I come in?" the man asked.

"Uh, sure," I replied, letting him in and closing the door. He closed the curtains at the window before he went over to her side and muttered to himself.

"I see the device is in perfect working order," she said.

"Oh, yes, and I am quite proud of it. Things are quite simple now that I have accepted the truth you told me so long ago: Everything is attached to music. I thought it superfluous at the time, but I have discovered that there are many practical applications that music has. Now, you are injured and I shall attend to you." He took off his clerical robes to reveal a doctor's bag attached to his front. He wore plain clothing underneath a soiled lab coat. He took the doctor's bag and took out some of the materials. "Sit up and let me look at you. Would you mind telling me what happened?"

She sat up, with some difficulty, and said, "I'd rather not talk about all the details, especially in front of a stranger."

He looked at me a moment before saying, "Well, you can whisper it to me, then." She did, and when she finished, he pulled back quickly. "That is a cruel story, very cruel." He looked sad and said, "Well, at least now I have a small idea of what I'm dealing with. I'm going to probe your ribs. If you feel any pain, let me know." He poked his fingers in her sides and while she did squirm a lot, she didn't seem to be in pain. "All right... perhaps you're just feeling weak. I won't tell though until I can look at the damage." He looked at me as he said, "Would you mind averting your eyes for a moment?"

"Sure," I said, turning around and putting my hands behind my back.

I heard the man continue, "My word... you weren't kidding..." He paused. "Let me wrap you up and give you some decent clothes. We also need to do something about that unnecessary bleeding." He fumbled around a moment before asking me, "Would you mind telling me where the nearest bathroom in this house is located?"

"Up the stairs and to the left," I replied.

"Thank you, we won't be long."

"Oh, wait... I should probably let my family know more people are here before you go up there," I said.

"Very wise; we shall await your return. Just don't turn us away, she needs medical attention _now_."

"I understand," I said as I headed up the stairs. I went over to Peter and Lois's bedroom and, when I heard no noise except snoring, went inside. I went over to Lois and woke her up. "Lois, wake up."

She groggily said, "Huh? What is it, Brian?"

"I found someone injured on our walkway and..."

"What?! Oh my god, did you call a doctor yet?"

"Lois, calm down, I already called a doctor. I was just letting you know there were two people here before they came up here and freaked you out. The doctor requested use of our bathroom for privacy's sake."

"Oh, well, that's fine, I guess, but why aren't they at the hospital?"

"He's not a legitimate doctor, but she said that he knew his stuff and it seems like he does. He has a doctor's bag, after all."

"Oh, all right. I suppose that's all right. If they need anything, try to help them out, okay, Brian?"

"Sure thing, Lois," I replied. I left the room and went back downstairs to give them the go ahead.

When they went into the bathroom, it didn't seem like there was much trouble at first. Everything was really quiet, only the occasional sound of shuffling. Then, it happened. A scream erupted from the bathroom unlike any other I had heard in my life. It sent chills up my spine and I forgot all decency as I burst in the bathroom to try to help if I could.

The scene that greeted my eyes was the girl dog shivering in the arms of the doctor. There was a little bit of blood on the floor and he was already fumbling with getting the blanket around her. "Step out a moment, please, everything's fine," the doctor said. I did as he asked, but with much hesitation.

The scream had awakened the entire family and we were all gathered in front of the bathroom door. It didn't take long before the doctor came out, holding a now-clothed female dog. She was still shaking and was clutching at his clothes as if to keep him from getting away.

"What happened?" asked Lois, still a little nerved from the scream.

"It's all right, she just went into a panic attack. It seems it is too soon after the incident to even think about... well, for privacy's sake, I won't get into what happened. Let's just say that a certain part of her normal routine will change due to her experience which occurred just hours before," the doctor replied.

"Is she gonna be okay?" I asked.

"In time, she will be fine, but I feel like she shouldn't move for a day or so. She has been on her feet much longer than she is used to and that has resulted in her not being able to walk at the moment. Her experience has also rendered her bleeding, so I shall stay with her to monitor it. Should she get worse or better, I shall be prepared. I definitely advise against sending her to any medical institution though. I know her scenario enough that even leaving the house would be unwise. I will say nothing on it except that it would be wise if our stay here was kept as secret as possible."

"You're not... you're not in trouble with the law, are you?" I asked.

"Oh, no, that is not the situation at all..." The dog in his arms shook her head violently and clutched his shirt again. "Although some people are never as they seem. No, she has just gotten in trouble with some dangerous men and women who would stop at nothing to see her suffer and perhaps even die."

"My god! What did she ever do to get in that kind of trouble?" asked Lois.

"She has told me the story before and all she and I can tell from the situation is that they are jealous of her."

"Jealous? Jealous of what?" asked Lois.

"It is best if I not say. That is something for her and her only to discuss." He gripped her tighter and her shaking seemed to have subsided.

"Roman, let me stand at the very least," she said.

"But..." Roman protested.

"Just... let me stand. I'll be all right," she said. He set her down and she stood shakily on her feet. "Roman is correct in keeping the circumstances of my situation a secret. It is not something I am willing to discuss or have discussed. I humbly ask that we stay here for a few days in secret, just until I'm better enough to walk again. I can scarcely stand and my constitution is not as it should be." She swayed a little and Roman caught her shoulders. She swatted him off, but when he stood up again, she leaned against his legs a moment before standing fully again. She looked at me and said, "I cannot thank you enough for saving my life. I was about to give up and you gave me a reason to keep going. For that, I thank you."

"It was no big deal, really," I said, quietly. I felt really shy around her suddenly. She _was_ very beautiful, after all.

"No, it was a _very_ big deal... to me. Tell me your name so that I might know who my savior is."

"Brian. Brian Griffin."

"It is a pleasure to meet you officially, Brian." She extended a hand and I took it. "My name is Cambria... thanks to the circumstances from earlier tonight, I have no surname anymore, so you can just call me Cambria." We parted and while I had so many questions in my mind, I kept quiet, knowing she wanted her privacy. "So, may I stay?"

"Of course, Cambria, stay as long as you like," replied Lois.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality and discretion, Mrs.?" asked Cambria.

"Griffin, Lois Griffin," Lois replied, giving Cambria her hand. They parted and Lois introduced the rest of the family. "This is my husband, Peter, and our children: our daughter, Meg; our son, Chris; and our baby boy, Stewie."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am sure you shall all make pleasant hosts," said Cambria. I laughed on the inside. _I hope so too... for all our sakes._

"Let's get you a place to sleep. We often put guests in Chris's room..." said Lois.

Cambria put up a hand and shook her head. "I was raised as a woman of honor and women of honor do not intrude on the household, they _hide_ in the household. I'm fairly certain Roman has a cot in his bag that I can use and he usually sleeps on stone anyways."

"This is true. I am not American born, and the country I came from was very cruel, very cruel indeed," Roman agreed.

"A place in the basement would be comfortable and discreet for us both," Cambria reasoned.

"Well, if you're sure you'll be comfortable down there..." said Lois.

Cambria put up her hand again. "I am certain, Mrs. Griffin. Like Roman, I have slept in the most ungodly places and have learned to adjust to any environment."

"All right, the basement it is, then," said Lois. We all headed down and made sure they were both comfortable. After much insisting, we left them down there. That night, that fateful night, was how it started.

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**Well, what do you think? I know, I know, it's kinda predictable at this point, but it will get less so. This will go in a direction that you wouldn't expect it to take. So, tell me what you think of the story so far and please make sure to keep reading and reviewing because this is not the end, only the beginning. **


	2. Chapter 2: No Guns, No Glory

Chapter 2: No Guns, No Glory

Cambria

I woke up that morning with a start. I nearly screamed, but I had enough presence of mind to stop myself before I did so. I sat bolt upright in bed and panted the panic away. _That was a killer nightmare... and I think it may have been a vision too._

You see, I was born in an American Army base in France. My father was an American soldier and my mother was a French gypsy. This was how I knew both English and French quite fluently. My mother had once told my siblings and me that one of us would be endowed with her gift of second sight, that is, the ability to see into the future.

"Was it another vision?" asked Roman. I turned my head and noticed him looking at me, concerned.

"Yeah, it was another vision," I replied regretfully.

"Do you feel like talking about it?"

"No... I feel like putting it in my journal though. Do you happen to have it in your bag?"

"Better, I keep it in my pocket... here," he said, handing me my dream journal. The small, leather-bound black book contained all of the dreams I believed were visions. It mostly contained drawings, but there were some written entries as well. Roman gave me a pencil and I immediately began writing in the journal feverishly.

"I'm glad you kept this, Roman... this was probably the most critical vision I ever received."

"You might also want these," said Roman. I looked up from my journal a moment to see what he was referring to and my jaw dropped.

"No way! You finally perfected your "Red Walkers"?" I asked.

"Well, these certainly aren't normal black boots. Plus, they _look _medicinal just as much as they _are _medicinal." He handed them to me and I put them on. Their purpose was to comfort the feet and ankles to facilitate healing while still allowing the wearer to be on their feet.

"They're amazing! I scarcely feel any pain!" I was amazed. "Thank you, Roman."

"Certainly, Cambria, I am always happy to assist." I smiled and he smiled back. "Now, why don't we go upstairs and make breakfast for these generous folk?"

"That sounds lovely, Roman." We went upstairs and noticed how early it was. A nearby clock said that it was 6:00 A.M. We went to the kitchen and Roman and I immediately began rummaging around for all the necessary essentials for breakfast.

* * *

Brian

I woke up to a wonderful smell. I sniffed the air and opened my eyes. I looked back toward the bed and noticed that Peter and Lois were still sleeping. _Who could be cooking breakfast?_ I looked at the clock and noticed how early it was. It was a Saturday morning and someone was cooking breakfast in the house at 6:00 A.M. _It must be either Roman or Cambria._ Keeping that in mind, I started heading for the door to the bedroom to head downstairs, but, thinking about how much Cambria wanted to be clothed last night, I thought it only proper if I were clothed as well. I went to the closet and took out my dark red robe. _I'll put on something more substantial later. This will do for morning though._

I went to the bedroom door again and opening it only made the smell stronger. I breathed in deeply, smelling the bacon wafting all the way up the stairs. I started heading down, but I paused on the stairs when I heard singing.

"_This is our morning, this is our day! The sun shines down on the mourning, as it shines down on the gay!_" I finished my descent down the stairs and poked my head in the kitchen just in time for Roman to finish his song.

"I like it, but I'm afraid this generation would not appreciate it," said Cambria from the kitchen table.

"It's not my fault this generation has their mind in the gutter. Why, I remember..." Roman paused, seeing me. He went pale as he went back to cooking breakfast. There was a brief moment of awkwardness before Cambria spoke up.

"Good morning, Brian. I trust you slept well?" Cambria smiled at me pleasantly.

"I slept fine, thank you. How did you and Roman sleep?" I returned her smile.

Her smile faded as she replied, "I'm afraid I didn't sleep well. I was tortured with a nightmare that expanded across the whole night."

"Well, at least your dreams have substance in them, Cambria. Whenever I dream, I see the same things every time," said Roman.

"I know, Roman, I know." She spoke as if this was the thousandth time he complained about his dreams. Turning back to me, she said, "Well, I suppose the smell woke you up. I apologize for it being so early, but both Roman and I are used to being early risers. We just wanted to thank you and your family for your kindness last night in letting us stay. I would have continued helping Roman in cooking, but my legs still feel like jello from last night."

I went to sit down beside her, but Roman protested, "I already counted the chairs in here. This table is simply not substantial enough for everyone. I request that the two of you move to the dining room." He tilted his head in its direction and I had to agree with him. The kitchen table _was _too small.

Cambria and I went to the dining room (which was conveniently located in the next room) and sat down. I noticed her take out a small, leather-bound black book and start scribbling in it frantically. "Is that a sketchbook?" I asked.

"Sort of; this is my dream journal. All of the dreams that make an impact on me, I write down," she replied, not looking up.

"What kind of... what kind of impact do they have to make to be written down?" She looked up at me harshly and I knew I overstepped a boundary.

"I would kindly ask that you not ask that of me again. It matters not since you wouldn't believe me."

"Why do you think I wouldn't believe you?"

"It is a little far-fetched to be considered truth by most people."

"What, do you dream the future?" I asked this sarcastically, but the grave look on her face told me that it wasn't a joke to her at all.

She sighed deeply. "Since you guessed it, I am compelled to tell you that it is the truth. Last night, I saw the future. It was dark... and cold... and _horrifying._" She shivered and I was taken aback. She was right, this wasn't the type of thing I believed in, but... the way she said it, the conviction she used made me think it was true. "However, there was _one _up-side to the dream."

"And what was that?"

"In the future, I will be put in a dangerous situation... but someone will protect me with everything he has."

"Oh, Roman?" I asked. I surprised myself with how disappointed I sounded.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Well... yeah."

"It was you, Brian." Before I could ask her what I was protecting her from, the rest of the family entered the kitchen followed by Roman. He served up plates of what appeared to be a breakfast mash to everyone before taking one for himself and taking the remaining chair at the opposite end of the table, beside Cambria and I. She sat at his left and I at his right.

"I hope you all enjoy breakfast. It is a recipe that Cambria taught me some time ago when I was nothing but a hopeless bachelor," said Roman.

"Now, you just need to get a girl and you won't feel so sad anymore," said Cambria.

"Eh, why have a wife if I could just do all of the things that she would do myself?" said Roman.

"I don't know, some wives cook better than their husbands," retorted Cambria.

"And some wives can't cook to save their lives."

"At least I didn't try to take a man's coffin at a funeral."

"Oh, so we're getting personal now, are we?!"

"Guys, settle down," I said calmly.

"Why'd you want a coffin?" asked Stewie.

"What did he say?" asked Roman. Apparently, he was one of those people who couldn't understand what Stewie was saying.

"He asked why you wanted a coffin, Roman," replied Cambria.

"Ah, well, I was going through a phase and I thought a coffin would make a good bed for me." He laughed warmly at his story.

Cambria cleared her throat a little before saying, "Pardon me a moment, I must speak to Roman." Roman made to get up, but Cambria shook her head and he sat back down.

"Qu'est-ce que c'est?" asked Roman.

"Romain, le rêve que j'ai fait la nuit dernière..." said Cambria.

"Oui?"

"RIA est sur le point d'être libéré."

Roman gasped. "Non!"

"Oui, nous devons nous préparer. Nous avons seulement sept jours avant qu'ils viennent."

"Je suis d'accord, nous commençons la préparation aujourd'hui. Je vais en parler à Louie au magasin d'armes et voir ce qu'il peut faire pour nous."

"Merci, romaine, vous êtes une âme charitable."

"Excuse me, may I borrow your phone? Cambria informed me of a loose end that must be attended to," said Roman.

"Of course, Roman, go right ahead. It's in the kitchen on the wall next to the outside door," said Lois.

"Thank you, Mrs. Griffin. I will be a few moments, so go ahead and proceed without me," Roman said, leaving the room.

"So, who's Rhea?" asked Meg.

Cambria smiled slightly, "Now, what gave you the impression that RIA was a person?" She paused before turning to me to ask: "Brian, if everything goes right with Roman's phone call, we'll need to run some errands, would you care to accompany us?"

"Uh, sure," I replied.

Roman returned to the room. "Louie wasn't there, but his son was. He said we can come whenever convenient," he said.

"Convenient for me is after breakfast. Is that convenient for you, Brian?" Cambria asked.

"I'll have to get changed first, but other than that, yeah," I replied.

"Excellent, then it's settled. We'll have half of the job done by lunch if everything goes well," said Cambria.

"I agree. Let us hope that Louie left his son with all the proper equipment. When would you estimate the event will begin?" asked Roman.

"I believe we have four days before we even see the signs. However, even if the event begins straight away, it would take three days to complete itself, no more and no less," Cambria replied.

"What event?" asked Lois.

"Is there a fair coming?" Peter gasped in excitement.

"I probably should have spoken in French for that, shouldn't I?" asked Cambria.

"Oui," replied Roman.

"Oh, do shut up," said Cambria. She sighed and said, "It is not important at the moment. Let's just say that it will be taken care of before day's end."

"But..." started Peter, but Cambria put up a hand. It was obvious that she did not want the conversation to continue. It started making me wonder what her motives were. She and Roman were hiding something... and I was going to find out what it was.

After breakfast, I got dressed up in a casual suit and Cambria, Roman, and I went in my car, which was a silver Prius, to go wherever they were supposed to go. Roman directed me and it became clear that they both knew the town rather well, yet I had never seen either of them before last night. As we kept going down the streets, I grew more anxious. I very well could be assisting them in a murder for all I knew, yet I still agreed to drive them.

Finally, Roman asked me to stop in front of a small gun shop. It was on a strip, so it wasn't by itself, but the streets and surrounding businesses were eerily empty. Roman and Cambria got out of the car and I wanted to wait for them, (so that if this _did_ mean trouble for me, I could have a better chance of getting out of it) but Cambria grabbed my arm and insisted I go inside with them. I braced myself for the worst.

We went into the store and Cambria called out, "Hello? Mikey?"

There was a noise in the back before a young Italian man came out from behind a curtain, where I assumed the back room for cleaning guns was. He looked around in surprise before his eyes finally landed on Cambria. "Ah, Cambria! Che spettacolo per gli occhi!" He lifted her off the ground, twirling her in the air a moment before putting her back down. In an Italian accent, he said, "It is great to see you again, my friend."

"It's great to see you too, Michelangelo," said Cambria, a wide smile on her face.

"So, what brings you and Roman to my father's shop now, eh?" he asked.

"Oh, we were hoping to pick up some things. Your father knew about RIA, did he not?" asked Cambria.

"Yes, he told me all about it. It is unfortunate he is not here to help you himself, he had to go on a business trip. That does not stop me from helping you though! My father left some things for you in case you were to come while he was away, come, I show you." We were all about to head to the back room when he stopped me from entering.

"It's all right, Mikey, he's with us," said Cambria.

"He know about RIA?" Mikey asked.

"No, but he soon will. Let him come with us," persuaded Cambria.

"All right, but I'm a keeping my eye on you," Mikey said to me. We all went into the back room and Mikey led us to a table where some cases and a large bag lay. "My father left you $10,000 to start you up."

Cambria's eyes widened. "No, no, Mikey, that's too much. We don't need nearly that much."

"I agree with Cambria. Our needs would be better met with less. What do you think, Cambria, just $1,000?" asked Roman.

"Yes, $1,000 would be more than enough. Keep the rest," said Cambria.

"All right, but my father won't be very happy," said Mikey. He reached into the bag and pulled out some stacks of money. My eyes widened. _What am I getting myself into?_

"He will understand. What else do you have for us?" asked Cambria.

"Well, here I have a Beretta 92FS 9mm semi-automatic pistol. I understand that you and my dad talked about it being a beautiful weapon for more reasons than one," said Mikey, cocking the hand gun. He put it back in its case on the table. He pulled out another gun from a case and showed it, "Here we have the Remington 870. It'll be loud, but it'll get the job done and it's easy to use."

"Yes, and I have become quite proficient at loading guns quickly. Please continue," said Cambria, waving him on.

"Roman requested a double barrel shotgun, so that's over here. It wouldn't be my first choice though," said Mikey.

"We understand, Mikey. What do you have for melee weapons?"

"Here I have an aluminum baseball bat... oh, and here's that machete you requested, Cambria." Mikey handed Cambria the long blade and she gently ran her hand across it, pleased.

"Perfect. We'll take six handguns, the Remington, the double barrel, the bat, and especially the machete. I also see you have an axe made entirely out of steel. May we have that as well?"

"Sure. Dad told me to just take the price of the weaponry out of your budget."

"I suppose that amounts to more than $1,000..." said Roman, eyeing Cambria accusingly.

"Actually, Roman, I was thinking that he could just pay for us with the remaining $9,000. We need the grand to get us supplies and parts. Would you mind, Mikey?" asked Cambria.

"I don't have a problem with it. What do you suggest I do with the rest of the money?" asked Mikey.

"Go to college or something, sheesh," said Cambria.

"All right; do you guys have transportation?" he asked.

"Do you?" asked Cambria.

"My dad saved a van out back for you guys. It's in good working order and it's a tank when it comes to durability. My dad reinforced the windows so that they're bulletproof, as well as the sides."

"We don't need bulletproof though, Mikey, we need it to withstand blows. Can it do that?"

"Yeah. I think the only thing that could be added to it would be nitrous. It hauls pretty good and handles well, but an extra kick is always handy. Before you ask, there's nothing wrong with the engine. My dad told me you were anxious that the van be able to perform well in high and low temperatures and that the engine wouldn't overheat or stall."

"Excellent. May we see it?"

"Sure, I'll help you guys load the weaponry into the van... will you be needing another shotgun?"

"That's a good question. Brian, does your family keep a shotgun?"

"We have a double barrel shotgun," I replied.

"Perfect, we'll just use that then. Oh, and Mikey, you'll be sure to..." said Cambria.

"Load you guys up on ammo? Yeah, already covered," said Mikey.

"Perfect. Let's see the van then."

We each took a load of the supplies and went out to the back of the building into the back parking lot. There was a black van that did indeed look like a tank. We loaded the supplies into the back and Mikey went over the good sides to the vehicle. It wound up being a sale.

After we received a tour of the van, Cambria said, "Roman, why don't you take the van ahead? Brian and I will follow you to the shooting range."

_Damn it,_ I thought. _She's making sure I stick with them. This smells like trouble... but I have no idea how to get out of it._ I went along with it and followed Cambria back to my car. We got in and after a few moments, the black van pulled into view and we followed it.

Once at the shooting range, Roman got the gun cases out and we walked in. We all got ear muffs and goggles to protect ourselves and went to start with the handguns. Cambria kept insisting that I do things with them, which turned out to be fun. Cambria and Roman were far better at shooting than I was though.

"Don't worry, Brian, you'll get better. All it takes is practice," said Cambria. We left the shooting range to go home for lunch. Cambria rode with me again while Roman drove the van ahead of us.

"Cambria, look, I gotta ask... why did you guys go out to buy so much weaponry?" I asked.

"Well, you know what they say: no guns, no glory," she replied. She laughed a little, then said, "Actually, it has to do with RIA, if you must know."

"Yeah, who or what is that? You've been talking about it all day."

"Well, my dream did show it happening, so of course I would make it a concern."

"And somehow I'm involved in all of this?" I was confused. Then, I thought of something, "I never did get a chance to ask you... what was I protecting you from?"

"Why, you were protecting me from RIA, of course." She said it like it was so obvious, but it still gave me no clue as to what it could all mean. I decided not to press the issue and just go with it.

"Well, it was pretty fun today, spending time with you."

She smiled and blushed. "Well, I had fun too. You are proving to be a good companion. When we get back to your house, we'll continue your training in the backyard. I want to see how well your fighting skills are."

"Training? Fighting?"

"Of course, you need to be quick if you're ever going to face RIA."

"That still explains nothing to me."

"I know, but I'm just not sure if you're ready for the entirety of it yet... or if I'm ready for it." She looked sad a moment before saying, "Well, at least there's always something to look forward to." She smiled slightly, but I could tell she was still not happy about telling me the whole truth.

We got back to the house and had lunch, then Cambria and I went outside to the backyard. I have to admit, it was a better plan than what I would have done all day. I usually sat in front of the T.V. until the rest of the family came home.

"So, what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"I want you to pin me. If you can pin me to the ground to the point where I can't move, that will be how you win. If I pin you though, I win. So, I suppose that should be an added incentive to not lose," Cambria replied, smiling.

I won't go into all the details, but let's just say I lost... a lot. She was a lot better than I thought she would be and I was a lot worse than I thought I was. However, there was a point where I got to pin her. "Ha! Gotcha!" I called out. She didn't seem at all happy with our current position. Her body tensed up and she immediately began crying. At first I thought it was a ploy to get me to relent, but I realized I had already pinned her. I got off of her and she continued crying a little. "I... I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, Brian, you didn't hurt me. You just triggered a bad memory, that's all," she replied. She hugged her knees to her chest and continued crying. I stroked her back, trying to console her.

"I'm sorry, Cambria."

She picked up her head and said, "It's not your fault, Brian, you didn't know. _I _didn't know. I didn't think that would trigger a reaction from me. At least I didn't go into an attack."

"What are your attacks like?"

"I've only had one since the incident. I won't get into the details, but I just freaked out. It was as if the whole thing was starting over again."

I helped her to her feet and said, "Why don't we go inside? I think Lois has some ice cream in the freezer. Would you like some?"

She laughed, perhaps too hard, and said, "I'd love some ice cream, Brian."

So, we had ice cream. It seemed that did the trick. She was back to normal and all her tears were gone. After we finished our ice cream, we went to sit down on the couch together. "Where's Roman?" I asked.

"He had to go back home... I'm already set up here and he said he'd come back to pick me up when the time comes," Cambria replied. She paused and looked like she was debating whether or not to tell me something. It seemed like she finally decided when she said, "RIA stands for Rhode Island Apocalypse."

"Okay, what does that mean?"

"It means that the entire state of Rhode Island will be coated with a horrible disease which has no cure. It will most likely mean the end, but there is a way the people can be spared. Underneath the city square is a bunker that Roman and I built in secret. Only in that bunker will people be able to escape RIA, unless they can leave the state before the shield goes down completely. The shield keeps the disease in the state and takes three days to lower itself completely. The disease, which is in the form of a gas, is inside of containers that are programmed to release it on the very moment the shield is down completely."

"So, and I'm not acknowledging this to be truth yet, but can't the containers be re-programmed?"

She shook her head. "I'm one of the best hackers in the world, so I know when something nears impossible. I programmed it to be unstoppable and unstoppable it will be."

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**I think I'll leave it off there for now. I used Google Translate for the French and Italian parts, so don't expect perfection. So, what do you guys think is going to happen next? Please keep reading and reviewing to find out; thanks, guys :)**

**P.S. I'm not a gun nerd, so I don't know all that much about what would be proper in the given situation. The situation will become clear either next chapter or the chapter after next. So... if it seems like I'm stupid when it comes to the proper weaponry, it probably means I am. I'm sorry.**


	3. Chapter 3: In the Sky

Chapter 3: In the Sky

Cambria

It was evening. The family was sitting on the couch watching television and I was taking a shower upstairs. I hummed as I lathered my body and got myself clean. It seemed things were starting to turn around for me. I was still very anxious about RIA being unleashed, don't get me wrong, but I was optimistic that everything was going to be okay. Then, I had to go and have a vision.

I was in the middle of rinsing myself off when I felt a pain in my head and fell onto my knees in the shower. I saw my brothers and sisters breaking into the house and my elder brother had taken Brian and was pointing a gun at his head. He said, "Make your choice... his life or the entire Rhode Island population?"

I gasped deeply and breathed deeply, trying to recover. I wasted no time in getting the water turned off, getting a towel on, and booking it downstairs as quickly as possible, but I halted at the steps. I knew I would need something. I fetched the handgun I had brought with me to the bathroom and, after checking that it was loaded, went downstairs.

I ran down the steps and the sight that greeted my eyes was the very same sight from the vision. "Let him go, brother!" I said, pointing my gun at my elder brother's head. I stood on the stairs, waiting for someone to make a move.

"You are not to call me 'brother'. When a person is exiled, they must _remain_ exiled, body and blood," my elder brother replied, his grip on Brian not lessening.

"Do you not think that I would shoot you then? After all, if you are not my brother, then I have no reason to hold back on an intruder," I reasoned.

"Look, Cambria, we can do this in one of two ways... the first way is that no one but this dog gets hurt, the second is more significant, stretching across the whole population of the state of Rhode Island. So, make your choice... his life or the entire Rhode Island population?"

"What does his life matter to you?"

"What does it matter to you?" He narrowed his eyes at me, a motion he only did when he knew he had me. "Come on, Cambria, let's be adult about this. I shoot the dog and we go home. Does that sound fair?"

"You're loaded if you think I'm going to fall for your tricks. You always have more than one plan, you always go toward the path that will make me suffer more."

"My intention was never originally for your suffering, dear one. If you had only done the simple tasks that we asked of you and stuck by our rules, then we wouldn't be here right now."

"I make my own rules, rules that make much more sense than yours."

"Oh, and how many rules do you have?"

"Just one."

"Then that's the rule you're going to have to break to save his life." He laughed. "You can't win, Cambria, either way, there will be death."

"Why don't we raise the stakes then?" My brother gave me a confused look, but I think my shot to his shoulder answered his unspoken question. He cried out as he dropped his gun. Brian was about to get away, but my brother just caught him with his other hand.

"It's going to take a lot more than a measly bullet hole to stop me, Cambria."

"I was hoping you'd say that." My other brother and my sisters charged at me, but I was prepared. I grabbed the railing of the stairs and used the corner to swing at them and kick their faces. I landed on the floor and glared at the last sibling standing. He let go of Brian nonchalantly and simply smiled.

"This isn't over, Cambria. This could have been over with so easily, but then you had to go and make things difficult. Well, now it's our turn." He pulled out a remote from his suit jacket and pushed the button. I shot the remote, but I knew the signal was already sent. "It's too late, Cambria. You have three days to leave the state... or... you could take your punishment like father would have wanted."

"What would you have me do? Fight the disease?"

"Actually, I would rather you _contract _it." He gave an evil laugh. I was about to grab him and give him a sound beating, but he pulled out a smoke bomb from his pocket and detonated it. By the time the smoke cleared, all my crazy siblings were gone.

I groaned. "I am _not_ fond of them."

"Cambria, what was he talking about? What did that remote do?" asked Brian.

"I think the answer is best expressed in demonstration. Give me a minute." I went downstairs and got some clothes on. Then, I took out a telescope from the bag Roman had left. I went back upstairs and I motioned for the family to follow me. We went outside and I pointed the telescope upward. I scanned the sky carefully until I found it. "Look here," I said to Brian. I handed him the telescope and, by the look on his face, I could tell he had seen it.

"What is that thing in the sky?"

"The shield for RIA. It will get bigger over the course of these three days. We'll have to get moving. Rhode Island will become much less inhabitable quite soon."

Stewie grabbed the telescope from Brian as he said, "Oh, come on, now, do you expect me to believe that... oh... I say, that's most unusual."

I took the telescope back and said, "Come, we must start packing."

"Now, Cambria, we aren't going anywhere. There's nothing that's going to happen, much less any disease," said Lois.

"Fine, if you don't believe me tonight, then you will by morning when that thing gets bigger. Believe me, that thing's going to be hard not to miss," I said. We all went inside and I couldn't help thinking that, by morning, a lot of people were going to be gawking at the giant shield in the sky.

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**I'll end it there for now. It seemed like a good place to stop the chapter. So, what do you guys think is going to happen next? What's the big secret that has Cambria's family shunning her? Please keep reading and reviewing to find out!**


	4. Chapter 4: Black in the Morning

Chapter 4: Black in the Morning

Cambria

I woke up that morning feeling very much unlike the morning person I typically was. I dragged myself out of bed, slipped on a robe, and shuffled my way up the stairs to the main floor of the house. I went to the kitchen and started a pot of coffee for the coffee drinkers of the house (I was not among this number) and started an assembly line of heating up leftover breakfast mash from yesterday. I let out a big yawn and stretched. _I wonder how it is outside_. I shuffled to the door, opened it, and picked up the newspaper on the stoop. I looked into the sky and my eyes gaped. A slap in the face wouldn't have woken me up any better than seeing the sky. I closed the door hurriedly, hoping to shut out the image of it or to will it away. I took a peek out the door again and noticed that I was not mistaken... the shield was drastically bigger than it was last night.

I heard shuffling from the stairs and turned around to see the entire family coming down to breakfast. "I'm still not used to these early wake-up calls," said Lois tiredly.

I headed into the kitchen and was just in time to catch the breakfast eggs before they burnt in the skillet. (There was not enough breakfast mash from yesterday to feed everyone, so I started up some scrambled eggs on the skillet.) Lois got some coffee poured for the coffee drinkers and left the room with the filled mugs without a word.

A little time after this, I had breakfast ready and set plates down for everyone there. I sat down in silence, waiting for everyone to wake up more. There was still that early morning daze thing going on with everyone there. _Typical American family: they can't handle mornings. _

"So, Cambria, did you sleep better last night than the night before?" asked Brian.

"I wasn't able to sleep much, thinking about all the things that needed to be done in such a small period of time. I think that's why I'm tired this morning. It also didn't improve my mood much to see the sky this morning," I said, sipping on some orange juice after my statement.

"And... what's wrong with the sky?" asked Brian.

Over the next few minutes, it became chaos. There was screaming, looting, and then there was a news reporter standing in the front yard and they were all concerned about the same thing: the great blackness in the sky. The news reporter I recognized as Mr. Tom Tucker from the Channel 5 News.

"I'm here in suburban Quahog and in the sky is what appears to be a great black hole," said Mr. Tucker. As I listened I squinted in disapproval. I went outside and stood by Mr. Tucker.

"Excuse me, Mr. Tucker, but that's not correct," I said.

"Oh, and what do you know about this black in the morning?" asked Mr. Tucker, pointing his mike at me.

"Well, you see, Mr. Tucker, that is actually a giant shield that is going to be lowered over the entire state of Rhode Island. It will finish lowering at midnight of the third day, which is two days away. By then, people need to either pick up their things and leave the state or pick up their things and head to a shelter I happen to know of underneath the city square," I explained.

"And just what is this shield protecting us from?" asked Mr. Tucker with a laugh.

"It is protecting people outside of the state from those who decide to stay _in _the state, unprotected from the consequences."

"Which consequences might those be?"

"A small project called the Rhode Island Apocalypse is coming down upon this state and if people don't leave or get in a sealed underground bunker, like that underneath the city square, a horrible disease will wreak havoc on the state. A disease that makes the Bubonic Plague look like a case of the sniffles, a disease that people have only thought about in fiction or in their nightmares. Leave or find shelter, that's all I can say." I started heading back into the house, but for some reason, the reporter was following me. I paid him no heed as I directed the movements of the Griffin family.

Mr. Tucker took this as an opportunity. "Mrs. Griffin, what do you think is going on with the blackness in the sky?" he asked.

"It's what Cambria says it is, I fully believe her on that," Lois replied. I gave a noise of approval and went back to what I was doing.

In about two hours, the Griffins were packed with all of the things that they couldn't leave behind, as well as some essential supplies. They moved everything into the van I had and by now, Joyce Kinney from Channel 5 was there as well. They were both giving the news and following the family, particularly me, around. Once they noticed us get into the van, they got in their van as well and followed.

"Wait, what about our neighbors?" asked Lois.

"If they're watching the news right now, I think they can fully well tell that this is serious," I replied. Just after I said this, there was a small troupe of cars showing up in the rear-view mirror. "See?"

We arrived at the city square and there was already a lot of cars gathered there. I hopped out of the van, but not before Brian took the wheel, and started walking toward the city square. Roman was already there with that neutral look on his face he always got when he was about to do something that he really didn't want to do. I gave him a friendly punch on the arm before starting the procedures for opening the door to the underground bunker.

* * *

Brian

I took the wheel as Cambria told me to and watched her head to the square. It was at about this time I started thinking again about just what I was getting myself into. I scanned the crowd of cars and was surprised with how much of the town had showed up to get to safety. I honestly wasn't putting any credence into the idea that the blackness in the sky was a shield or a black hole. It felt too much like a scam to me. Despite this, if my family was willing to believe it, then I had to go along with them. That's called loyalty.

Cambria reached the square and I noticed Roman was already there. They talked for a few moments before they went around the statue in the center of the square and started running their hands along it. Then, the statue lifted up and a large entryway came out of the ground. Lights came on from within and it looked like a winding tunnel.

After the tunnel opened, Roman started directing the traffic while Cambria took some glow-sticks and started directing the cars down the tunnel. I noticed the lights above the tunnel were changing color every now and then, from red to green. This must mean the difference between if the tunnel was ready to accept another car or not. Soon enough, it was our turn and I moved the van forward slowly. I kept my eyes on Cambria and the glow-sticks. She directed me slowly through the dimly lit passage and we soon reached a parking structure. _There is no way that it was just her and Roman down here working. _Once parked, we got out of the car and Cambria quickly gave us directions on where to go before going back to the top to direct the next car.

A few hours later, Cambria finally came downstairs with Roman and the gate was closed. "Now, if anyone else wants to get in, they're going to have to wait until tomorrow... or at least for a few hours," said Cambria. She flopped down onto a chair, seemingly exhausted with the day. She sat in a chair in front of a bunch of screens and we all looked on at the diagrams on them. Tom Tucker and Joyce Kinney came close with the camera guy to see what was on them.

"What do these mean?" asked Mr. Tucker.

Cambria pointed to various places on the main big screen. "This is a countdown for how long it will take for the shield to lower completely; this is a toxicity level to determine how much of the disease is in the air. It shouldn't take long for the air to clear out after released. It dissipates very quickly and it is just as quickly fast-acting on the mammalian body. Then, this giant diagram here shows visually how far the shield is on the state," Cambria explained.

"Mammalian?" asked Mr. Tucker.

"Yes, that means that the disease only affects mammals. Reptiles, birds, fish, insects, all these other creatures will be unaffected. This is why I sent Roman with a truck to gather several species for the sake of re-population. The gear in an animal's brain that tells them of danger wouldn't say anything until it was too late. So, yeah, that's about it," explained Cambria.

"So, how long will we have to stay down here?" asked Ms. Kinney.

"I am not able to determine an exact time period at this time. There needs to be time for the shield to lower, then time for the disease to seep into the air and then dissipate until the air is safe to breathe again, then there's the diseased to consider.

"According to my calculations, there is still a good number of people in Rhode Island at this point. I mean, look at this heat signature map. There's gotta be 98% of the Rhode Island population still up there. That means that unless something changes in the next 48 hours and they all run away in time, we'll have about a million people diseased. I'll have to go up top with Roman to do some hunting. We'll bring back one of the diseased, humanely, and try to find a cure."

"So, where did this whole disease thing even start?" asked Mr. Tucker.

"A drunken dare is what started this. That's why I can't remember the disease itself. I don't remember exactly what happens or how there could be any possible way of fixing it, if any."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Ms. Kinney.

"I mean that if I'm unable to find a cure... we'll have to kill them because there will be no other way. The disease would eventually kill them anyway. If I killed them sooner than later, it would practically be a mercy killing... but it still feels a little like genocide."

"That's not something we have in our minds yet anyway," said Roman, coming up behind Cambria and putting his hands on her shoulders. "We'll find a cure, you can count on it." He smiled confidently and the news crew left them be to get reactions from the crowd. Once they were away, both Cambria and Roman assumed looks of gloom. If I didn't know better, I would say that they weren't very confident that finding a cure would be possible at all.

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**What's the disease? What will happen next? Only I know ;) Please keep reading and reviewing and soon, you will know too.**

**P.S. I didn't know if Joyce Kinney ever married or not, so I just called her "Ms." since that's what you call women when you don't know what their status is. Also, fans of Jasper and Herbert, get ready, because I'm putting them in the story soon ;)**


	5. Chapter 5: Realization

**I apologize for taking so long to update, but I've been busy with other things. I still think this story has potential though, so we'll see how this goes. I hope the next _Family Guy_ episode comes out soon though. If there's no new material, I kinda lose the fuel of inspiration. (I did enjoy seeing Brian in the episode "Meg Stinks!" He looked so into the wilderness XD) Anyway, all that randomness aside, here's the new chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it :)**

* * *

Chapter 5: Realization

Cambria

I tensed when I felt a hand on my arm. I shot awake and glared at the person touching me. It turned out to be Roman. _I thought he knew better than to touch me while I am sleeping... oh well. _I shook my head to hopefully get the sleepiness out of my system a bit. I yawned and I rubbed my eyes as I asked, "What's the status?"

"The percentage of people above ground has not changed," replied Roman.

"That's not good. I don't want to have to conjure up a cure for a million people. I'd rather there be a cure for only a few hundred or a few thousand at most." I groaned and rubbed my eyes again, but this time in frustration. "We only have two days left. Something has to give."

"There is one other thing, Cambria."

"It's more bad news, isn't it?" I looked into Roman's face and recognized the expression as that of the one he assumed when he had bad news.

"Yes, you know me well..." I looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "...Jasper's here."

"Jasper? The..." I paused, trying to think of soft terms. "..._flamboyant_ one?" Roman nodded. "That's interesting, especially considering he's so... out there."

"Yet you yourself were once 'out there' as it were," said Roman, giving a sarcastic smile.

"Yeah, whatever; one of the two had the equivalent of the... male... _thing _so it wasn't that bad." I wasn't comfortable with calling it for what it was in front of a man... I don't know why.

"It wasn't that bad? Cambria, you were acting like a guy. I, personally, think that it is just as disgusting for a woman to act like a man as it is for a man to act like a woman."

"Yeah, well, why don't you go back to Transylvania and get some blood?"

"Now that just hurts."

I gave a short laugh. "Whatever, Roman." I sat up in the chair I had fallen asleep in and looked at the computer screen for any changes. Everything was pretty much the same as it was when I last looked at it... minus the shield was now lower than it was before.

"Hey!" came a voice.

"Oh, Lord..." I muttered under my breath. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no problems with homosexuals, but like Roman said, it's off-putting to have a guy act like a woman. Jasper is actually an old friend... but of course, there is always one thing that every friend doesn't like about the other. Some issues are bigger than others. In this case, I found it to be a small enough issue to still consider Jasper as a friend. He is, after all, a decent guy with good connections and a decent personality... it's just that one quality that unsettles me, _but _he's still a great guy.

"Hey, Cambria!" called Jasper.

I got down from my chair and went over to Jasper. "Hey, Jasper! It's been a while, hasn't it?" I stopped myself from shying away from his hug at the last minute since the only alternative would have been to shake his hand and that only would have reminded me of my times as a lesbian. The hug brought back memories of times Jasper and I had hung out. You know, shopping, getting our nails done, and checking out guys. It's funny, he was the closest thing to a girlfriend I had at the time. (Girlfriend as in friend who is a girl, not someone to date.) I pulled away from the hug and we both looked each other up and down.

"Well, look at you, Cambria! You're still looking like quite the supermodel!" said Jasper.

I immediately blushed. "Oh, stop..." I diverted attention away from myself quickly, trying to be selfless and humble like I was raised to be. "And you! You're keeping yourself quite fit."

"Why, thank you! My husband Ricardo and I help keep each other fit."

"Oh, you're married now. That's really cool." I meant it.

"Yeah, you should meet him some time, he's such a dream."

"I'm sure." Actually, whenever Jasper had told me what kind of guys he found attractive in the past, I was always repulsed. It wasn't the fact that he liked guys because that wasn't the issue. The issue was the fact that his tastes and mine were completely different. That, of course, made him all the more interesting as a friend. "So, what are _you _doing here? The last I heard, you were having the time of your life in Hollywood."

"Well, I just wanted to drop by and visit my cousin. We can't always spend time with our husbands, you know what I'm sayin'?" He and I shared a laugh at that.

"Yeah..."

"I should introduce you to him. I think he's really your type," Jasper told me in a knowing tone.

"Oh? What's his name?"

"Brian Griffin."

"Oh... well, I'm afraid to tell you that you can't introduce me to him because I've already met him."

"And...?" he asked expectantly.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, he's really, really cute. There, I said it."

"Ooh! I just knew it! So... have you done anything yet?"

"Well, we only met a few days ago, so I'm still getting to know him."

"Oh, foo! You two should go on a date together. You'd make a very cute couple."

"I'm sure we would, Jasper, but I can't exactly think about dating right now, what with the Rhode Island Apocalypse going on above ground."

"So? That doesn't mean that you can't go on a date _below ground._"

"That may be true, Jasper, but you know me: I want to go someplace _nice _on dates. Unless, of course, he picks someplace, then it just makes it sorta..."

"Romantic?" I blushed again. "Well then, we'll just have to get you two together." He turned and started walking away, but I grabbed his arm.

"Wait, Jasper, you don't have to do this."

"Oh, nonsense! One date with him won't end the world. What have you got to lose?"

"Just... don't set up a date yet. I don't even know if he would want to date me let alone if he even likes me."

"Well then we'll just have to find out!" He began walking away from him and I ran to catch up.

"Jasper!" As I ran to catch up to him, I passed Chris Griffin and an old man with a walker. "Hey, Chris," I greeted.

"Hi, Cambria!" said Chris, in his usual innocent way. As I ran off, I heard the old man talking.

The old man said, "Now, Chris, perhaps you wouldn't mind keeping me company while this whole apocalypse thing is going on." If I wasn't innocent to the world, I would assume the man was a pervert... and I did assume.

* * *

Brian

I thought it was nice of Cambria to think about each and every one's needs. I was actually able to have my own room. Peter and Lois had their own room as well. There were some people that had to share though... like Chris, Meg, and Stewie. That had to be a nightmare. I smiled at the thought.

"Knock, knock!" came a voice along with actual knocking on my door. I recognized it as Jasper's and I welcomed him in.

"Come in!" I called. Jasper came in and sat in the bed across from the one I was sitting in. It was obviously a room meant for two people, but for some reason, it was just me at the moment.

"Isn't it amazing how this whole bunker has like, little mini apartments for everyone?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah, it's pretty nice... when did you get here?"

"Oh, I just followed the traffic underground. I wasn't really expecting there to be a whole 'Rhode Island Apocalypse' about to happen, but I'm glad I decided to visit anyway."

"Yeah, it's always nice to see you, Jasper. Where will you be staying?"

"Oh, I'll be bunking with Cambria as her guest. Apparently, Roman doesn't like sleeping in beds and sleeps elsewhere."

"Oh, that was a good thing for her to do."

"Yeah..." Jasper looked slightly away, his eyes filled with ideas.

I sighed. "Jasper, I don't think I could stand going out on another one of your blind dates."

"Not even if it was with someone you already met?" I squinted in confusion as he continued. "Look, cousin, I know you're tired of being constantly rejected, but there is someone out there for everybody."

I sighed. "Fine, I guess I could try one more time." My enthusiasm for dating was mostly gone. Honestly... it was only because of this whole 'state of emergency' thing that I was even still alive.

"That's the spirit! Now, what do you think of Cambria?"

"Well... I..." My hand went to the back of my head and I began scratching there. It was a nervous tic that I was never really able to get rid of.

"Come on, cousin, do you like her?"

"Well, of course I like her, Jasper, she's a great girl. She's smart, attractive, and... there's just something about her that keeps her on my mind."

Jasper smiled. "I thought so. Have you ever considered asking her out?"

"Yeah, I've thought about it, but there's never really been a good moment to ask her. She seems really committed to this thing that she's in."

"You're not as interested?"

"That's... that's not the point. I _am_ interested in her, I'm just..." I felt myself wanting to break. I took a deep breath and blocked out the tears. "I just don't want to wind up with her the same way I wound up with all the rest of the women I've dated... broken and alone." I looked at the floor and the need for booze was crawling its way to the forefront of my mind._  
_

"You shouldn't let your past stop you from trying though, I mean, look at me. I've gone through a lot of heartbreak and hardship before I finally found Ricardo. Once I did, it was definitely worth the wait. Sometimes, you have to endure a harsh storm before you find the rainbow."

I looked up at Jasper. "Do you really think I have a shot?"

"It definitely doesn't hurt to ask. I can even put a good word in for you, just as I'm putting in a good word for Cambria."

It was at that point the fullness of the realization hit me: I had another chance, another shot at true love. I gave a small smile and asked earnestly, "What can you tell me about her?"

* * *

**I hope I didn't step on any toes in this chapter. I know that homosexuality is a hard thing to talk about since it's such a big button issue. I tried to remain as neutral to the situation as possible. I think every person on this planet is awesome :D Except for the jerks and the haters, but I won't go there :P**

**If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please leave it in the reviews or you could even PM me. I'm pretty good at getting back to people promptly (except for the times I'm busy, but what are you gonna do?) I'm sorry I didn't get to what the disease was this chapter, but unless I come up with something else in the process of writing chapter 6, I think it will be revealed then. Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks guys :)**


	6. Chapter 6: Check, Please!

Chapter 6: Check, Please!

Cambria

I suppose it is to be expected that things would get a little... constricted. I sat at the computer screens watching the countdown for RIA. It was only a matter of hours and I was getting anxious. It was still safe to go outside since the shield had not fully lowered yet, but it was still a precarious situation. I started feeling trapped in the bunker, as if it were a small prison in the ground... or a grave.

"Not much time left, is there?" came a voice. I turned around and noticed it was Brian. He was wearing a handsome suit, which made me feel inferior since I was wearing my beat-up jeans and shirt. It was an outfit I only wore when I knew I was going to get dirty soon.

"No, there isn't. I wish it could come faster... or slower. I'm not really sure what would be better. There are so many people above ground who are going to suffer for the mistake I made," I said.

"You can't beat yourself up too much for it though."

"Yeah..."

There was a pause, highlighted by my sadness. Brian broke the silence, "Hey, why don't we go out one more time before this RIA thing strikes?"

I smiled a little. "Are you asking me out on a date, Brian?" I asked slyly.

"Only if you want it to be."

"I do." I smiled wider. "I could use a break anyway. The hour is not yet upon us, so going up top one last time couldn't hurt."

"All right. Do you wanna leave at say 8 o'clock?"

"Sounds good. Let me get changed and we can go."

I went to my room and got changed into a decent dress and put some perfume on. I liked the perfume I used. It was a subtle fragrance, yet it was a good smell. I smelled just like strawberries... or at least that's what most people have said the smell was.

I met Brian in the car garage and he and I took the van out. It was the best vehicle to take and if we lost track of time, there was safety equipment already in the backseat... among other things. Brian drove the car out and once I saw the night sky I sighed blissfully. It was good to be outside.

Brian took us to a restaurant. It turned out to be the very same restaurant I had been to when first kicked out of the house. It brought back bad memories for me and if Brian's attitude was any indication, it held bad memories for him as well.

We went inside and surprisingly, Brian had a reservation at the restaurant. We got seated at a table and began scanning the menus. "Do you want a wine, Cambria?" asked Brian.

"I don't mind wine every now and again. I prefer red wine though," I said.

"All right," said Brian. He selected a wine, which happened to be my personal favorite, and we were left to just we two again.

"Good choice on the wine," I commented.

"Well, thank you. I tried the wine once and it tasted good, so I thought it would be a good choice."

"Well, it was." I started scanning the menu again. There was a short silence.

"What are you thinking about getting?"

"I personally prefer Cassoulet. It was one of my favorite meals as a child."

"Really? Your mother must have been French then."

"She was, and my father was an American soldier. One can say it was love at first sight for them. My siblings and I were born in the base he worked from, so that is how I am an American citizen."

"So, you're completely fluent in French?"

"Oh, yes, it is actually as much my first language as English is. What about you, where did your family come from?"

Brian batted his hand and said, "It wasn't anything as exciting as being born in France, but it was a decent life. I was born on a puppy farm in Austin, Texas."

"Oh, so your mother and father were breeding dogs? That's okay."

"You don't have a problem with that?"

"Your parents don't define you, Brian, they just make you." I winked at him to get my point across. "Seriously though, tons of dogs come up that way and they lead good lives. My mother was a gypsy in France and my father was just a simple farm dog that kept pests away. They led good lives and I'm sure your parents led good lives too."

"Yeah, I guess..." There was a slightly strained pause. "Do you mind if I ask how they died?"

"They were shot in a crossfire, I believe. I don't really remember much though since I was so young when it happened." I paused before asking, "What about your parents, how did they die?"

"My father was hit by a milk truck and my mother died of old age."

"I think we all hope to die of an old age. Good for her. What about siblings? Do you keep in contact with them or are they...?"

"So far as I know, they're not dead, but I haven't seen them in a really long time. I was taken away from the farm when I was just a pup, so I don't know what happened to them. What about your siblings?"

"They're assholes."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I'd rather not talk about them. They made my life hell, and not just because of sibling rivalry. They screwed me up pretty bad and always had their noses into my personal life. I was never able to have a good, long-lasting, and stable relationship with them around."

"That bad?"

"You have no idea." I paused, remembering the things they had done. "Let's change the subject. Why don't you tell me about your hobbies, what do you like to do?"

"I'm actually a writer."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, I've had a few books published as well as a play and a television series." I pulled out my phone and began looking him up in my personal database. I had a database on everyone in Quahog. I was able to pull up his works easily.

"I see here that one of your books was a corny best-seller and the other was a total bomb. The play was semi-adequate and the television series falls under the category of T.V. spam in my database."

"How do you have so much on me in there?"

"My family made it their business to know everyone's business. I am also able to trace your name to a few porno's. They don't appear to be half bad either. Of course you were the director, not the writer." I put my phone away and looked at Brian.

"Well, some of my works I'm not proud of. That T.V. series got botched by the network, so it never was what it was supposed to be. That best-seller was just something I wrote to prove a point... my heart wasn't into it as much as the one that 'bombed.' As for my play, I did make a good run for it, but I found someone who wrote better and it made me feel..."

"Inadequate?"

He shrugged. "I'm not really proud of those porno's either. I was trying to make a living in Hollywood and they wouldn't have what I wanted to put out."

"Well... perhaps you just haven't found your muse yet. I find that if my muse is missing, my art doesn't turn out as good as when my muse is there. You can have all the heart and desire you want, but the muse is where the spark of success lies."

"What kind of art are you into?"

"I have been known to write music and do portraits as well as other paintings. I have been told that my portraits were near life-like, but I don't think I'm _that _good. I love music though. Music is where my heart is. I have written a few pieces for the piano, but I have never played them for any living soul."

"Why not? Do you not think they're good enough?"

"I think they are masterpieces, but they are not for the ears of just anyone, especially one piece in particular. I have been saving it for someone I love."

"That sounds good."

"Yeah."

"So, what other hobbies do you have?"

"Oh, I have written some things, but it wasn't anything I considered worth publishing. You?"

"To be honest, I don't really have any other passion in life except writing."

"That's cool." I gave a short laugh.

"What?"

"I always get my muse at a time when I am feeling particularly lovesick, so I guess that is why I never share my art with anyone else."

It was at this point that the waiter returned to refill our wine and ask us what we wanted to eat. We made our orders and the waiter left again. I stirred my wine and took a gentle sip of it. I knew if I didn't control how I drank, I'd wind up drunk.

"There was this one piece I have thought more than once about sharing with the public. It is a song on piano called 'As My Piano Gently Weeps.' It's a sad song, but it has a lot of heart in it. It's probably one of my favorite compositions," I said.

"Well, whatever you decide to do, I'm sure it's going to be beautiful," said Brian.

I blushed deeply. "Thank you, Brian, but I'm hardly worth the praise given."

"No, you're right..." I looked at him shocked, but he finished with, "You're worth so much more." I blushed again.

"I don't know where you're getting this from or why you think so..."

"Jasper told me a lot about you. From what he tells me, you're not given half as much as you deserve."

"Yeah, well... let's change the subject. What are your plans for the future? What are your dreams?"

"Oh, gosh, where do I start?" His eyes seemed to sparkle as he thought of the possibilities. It made me smile. "I just want to write something really good, get it published, and become a famous author. I also want someone to share my future with, a woman who loves what I do and supports me." His eyes looked deep into mine and I saw all the passion and all the heart and all the hope and all the heartbreak in his eyes.

"Well, that certainly sets a standard for me, doesn't it?" I said, laughing nervously.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's all right, Brian. I just tend to forget how direct dogs can be. I had my life lengthened some time ago so that I wouldn't have to die in such a short time span." I paused. "To be truthful, Brian, I've been wanting someone to share my life with too. All I ever wanted on this Earth was love. I don't want someone who will take advantage of me or think of me as an object. I need to be seen as a beautiful woman with a good heart. I need someone to share my life with too." While I was talking, our hands met and when I had finished my statement, I found our hands intertwined... and I liked it like that.

We wound up talking a lot that evening. We had a pleasant meal and we just wanted the night to last forever. Near the end of the night was when the good part came though.

The band was still playing some classical music. Brian and I had been talking for some time, but I felt like doing something I only shared with those whom I was intimate with. "Brian, would you like to dance?" I asked.

"There's nothing really good playing," Brian remarked.

"If there was, would you though?"

Brian smiled. "I'll be right back." I watched him go up to the band on the stage. He talked to one of the guys up there and I saw him pay him a little bribe. Brian came back just as the last song ended and the new song began. He offered me his hand and I took it. The song playing sounded like a waltz. Brian and I swayed back and forth and I felt like I was in heaven in those short moments. Then, it had to be ruined.

Roman came running up to us and grabbed my arm. "We have to go now, Cambria. We have thirty minutes until the shield is fully lowered and the gas is released," he said.

I sighed and said, "All right, let's get going then. We just have to pay the bill."

"It's already taken care of, let's just go. I'll drive," said Roman. We all left in a hurry and as Roman drove, I saw the sky was blocked by the shield and the horizon was just barely visible.

"It's like a horror movie," I said. No one commented back, probably because they agreed.

We arrived back in the base with 15 minutes to spare. Everyone was huddled in the main hall, watching the countdown on the computer screens. I looked at it tensely and went up there to get a closer look. The minutes ticked by and the shield slowly lowered to its resting place on the ground. The earth shook a little as it sank deeper, so as to better prevent the gases from escaping. We were in our own atmosphere now. Thankfully, the bunker was well stocked in clean oxygen and well sealed from the outside.

When the timer hit zero, the computer screens showed the green gas of the disease being released. The reporters, Mr. Tucker and Ms. Kinney came up to me. Mr. Tucker asked, "So, what happens now?"

"Well, if you like, I can turn on the outside cameras to get a better look at things. There are still people in Quahog, so we should be able to see their reaction to the disease," I said. Mr. Tucker and Ms. Kinney nodded. I sighed and flipped a switch. On one of the bigger screens, an image of the traffic and pedestrians in the city square became visible. As the gas quickly spread, those people felt it reach their lungs and began suffocating. It was, after all, a heavy gas and was able to get into the lungs quickly and efficiently. The people outside were having difficulties staying upright.

"What is happening to them?" asked Ms. Kinney.

"Step one of the disease: penetration. It will soak into their skin and permeate their lungs with its foulness. It won't be too long before stage two begins," I explained.

"What's stage two?" asked Ms. Kinney.

"Transformation."

"Transformation? What do you mean, transformation?" asked Mr. Tucker. Just then, screams of pain erupted from the speakers. The people outside were beginning to experience the second step.

"This is madness! We have to do something to help them!" said Brian.

"There is no help for them. If we go out there, we'll be infected too," I said. The screaming continued as their bodies morphed. Their skin turned sickly pale and yellow. It began looking as if it were rotting from off of their skeletons. Their eyes turned yellow and their noses sunk in. Their skin became thinner and thinner until it looked like they were walking corpses. The transformation ended with the sanity leaving their eyes.

"They're... they're..." said Ms. Kinney, horrified.

"Zombies," finished Mr. Tucker, just as horrified. We looked on at the screen as the creatures ambled about. "What in God's name have you done?"

"It was not my choice for this to happen... I was just stupid enough to draw the blueprints," I replied. The creatures on the screen continued to amble on and in those few moments before I turned the outside cameras off, I remembered the disease.

"How is this even possible? You took living people and turned them into lifeless zombies," said Brian. He had since moved from his place on the edge of the crowd until he was behind me.

"Well, it's simple, really. The hypothalamus in the brain is responsible for several functions: control of hunger, control of thirst, control of body temperature, and control of fatigue. Those are the few I can remember off of the top of my head, but what the disease does is it completely mucks that up. There is no sense of fatigue, so they won't get tired. There is no sense of heat, so they'll never get too hot. There is just an endless hunger and thirst. This endless hunger and thirst makes them want to eat, and believe me, they'll eat anything they think is meat. If you get in the path of one of these things, they will eat you alive. Besides the fact they have a very high metabolism, aiding their never-ending hunger and making them nigh unstoppable. It's funny how I just remembered all of this now," I said.

"Wait, so... what happens if they don't eat you?" asked Brian.

"If they don't eat you, that'd be a bloody miracle, first off. Secondly, the only way they could infect you is if there is a transfer of blood or, ahem, _secretions,_" I replied.

"Oh, so it's like AIDS," said Peter from the crowd.

"Peter!" Lois scolded.

"What? That's what it sounds like," Peter defended.

I laughed. "Considering the pain this disease causes, you'll wish it was AIDS. Hunger is pain, so they're having hunger pains every time they're not eating. Also, their pain receptors are so off the charts, they wouldn't feel any outside force," I said.

"What say you, Cambria, three hours?" asked Roman, approaching me.

"Yes, I believe the gas will clear up in that time. Despite its heaviness, it clears up fast when not in contact with a victim. It sinks into the ground and will leave completely when it rains. Fortunately, it cannot sink through concrete and steel," I said.

"This is crazy..." said Brian, upset. He walked off and I couldn't help but feel bad. It was all my fault that the people up top were suffering... but there was nothing I could do. I had not, after all, invented a cure. From here on out, those suffering victims were on their own.

I sighed deeply, frustrated with myself. "Check, please!" I said, with sarcasm and frustration dripping in my voice.

* * *

**Well then. Zombies. Did you guys see that coming? Heh. Anyway, please keep reading and reviewing to find out what's next. Will there be a cure or will Rhode Island's zombies eat each other out? We shall see... we shall see.**


	7. Chapter 7: Emotional

Chapter 7: Emotional

Cambria

I couldn't stand by and do nothing. I just couldn't. So, this was why I immediately set to work on getting suited up. I had all of my gear on, plus weaponry. I had just strapped the net gun to my back when Roman came up to me.

"I've been having trouble again," said Roman.

"Were you having problems with your cravings again?" I asked. He nodded. "Oh, no, is anyone hurt?"

"No, no!" Roman quickly assured me. "I just see all these people and I can smell them and..."

"It's all right, Roman, we could use a little crazy outside. Do you want to help me catch a zombie?"

"If you will allow someone with little self-control to be near you, then fine."

"You have plenty of self-control. You have those _things _in storage, do you not?"

"I'm out."

"Oh... that would explain the cravings then. All right, we'll just head to a hospital on our way around. Is there anything else I should be informed of?"

"Nothing that I can think of, no."

"All right, then get your gear and let's go."

Just as we were about to head out, Brian stopped me. "You're not going out there, are you?" he asked.

"Uh, duh, Brian. I need to get a subject down here for testing. The sooner I find a cure, the sooner a million lives can be saved, and while that's not a billion, it's still a significant number," I said.

"Let me go with you, then," said Brian.

"What, are you crazy? No," I said.

"But..." he protested.

"Brian, I can assure you that Roman is more useful out there than you are at this present juncture." I knew that comment would hurt, but it needed to be said. It was, after all, the truth.

"Oh... okay." Brian looked sad and I felt a pain swell in my heart.

"Actually, there is something you can do that would be very helpful."

I took Brian to the computer screens and set him up. I put a microphone/headphone set on his head and I explained what I wanted him to do. "You see, Roman and I can only see so much. You have eyes all over, if needed. What I need you to do is to track our movements. If we're close to zombies or worse yet an ambush, let us know. If there's any places where we could get supplies, let us know directions. We would need a food store or a pharmacy..." I explained.

"Or a hospital," put in Roman.

"Yeah, stuff like that. Now, listen, we'll be getting our supplies first and a zombie last. When we're ready, I'll let you know and you can direct us to the nearest single zombie. Try to find one that's alone, please, because it will definitely save time and bullets," I said.

"Got it. Anything else?" asked Brian.

"I can't think of anything right now. I'll let you know though. Come on, Roman, let's go," I said, waving Roman toward the exit.

Once we were in the car garage, (with our communications not on yet) Roman asked, "Why did you put him in charge of that? I could have very well found everything we needed."

"I know that and you know that, but if Brian, or anyone else for that matter, knew the truth on what you were, they'd freak. This was the best way of giving Brian something to do and putting him off of your track that I could come up with," I explained.

"All right, but I don't need any help."

"I know you don't, Roman," I said with a smile. Once that was said and done, we got in the van and headed up top. We turned on communications and the adventure began.

Some time later, I was surprised at the lack of zombies in the area. "Brian... where are the zombies?" I asked.

"_I don't see any,_" Brian replied over the airwaves.

"Keep me posted. This van is making too much noise to _not _attract attention," I said.

"_Got it._"

"Ugh... I just want a bloody zombie to come up in front of this van and- AH!" Just as I was making the wish, the van hit something. It had startled me into screaming. The van rolled over the body and I took a lot of deep breaths. "Roman! What the heck, man!"

"He wouldn't have moved," Roman replied calmly, still driving.

"Could you refrain from hitting the next one?"

"Sure."

I groaned and the ride continued on in silence for a while longer. Soon, however, we reached a grocery store. I sighed and said, "Finally."

"_Wait,_" came Brian's voice over the static.

"What?" I asked with a snap.

"_There are three zombies inside, two in the back, and a few more heading your way,_" said Brian.

"Ah, a regular zombie buffet. Are you feeling up for it, Roman?" I asked.

"Nuh uh, I ain't getting sick," said Roman.

"I didn't mean that, I meant shoot their heads off and make sure to leave one for capture," I said.

"Oh."

"_Wait, what did he think you meant_?" asked Brian.

"Nothing," I replied. "Let's go."

"I'm with you, Cambria," replied Roman. We went out of the van and went into the store. We stuck with the quieter approach by chopping their heads off. We then went into an aisle with canned foods and packed our packs with them. The smell of blood was taking a toll on Roman though... and he wasn't the only one. The groaning in the nearby vicinity was enough to tell me we had to split and soon.

"Uh, Roman..." I turned to him, but I saw his eyes were already taking that glazed appearance. "Aw, shit. This is more than I wanted to deal with right now." I dragged Roman out of there by his wrist and threw him into the van. I saw and heard the zombies approaching: two in one direction, three in another, and still two more in another. "Okay..." I cocked my handgun and fired six rounds into six heads in as many seconds. I shot my net gun at the remaining zombie and reeled in the monster. I made sure to keep it out of reach of me, while at the same time dragging it to the back of the van.

"_More zombies are coming,_" came Brian's voice over the speakers.

"Thank you, Mr. Obvious, is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" I asked sarcastically as I threw my catch in the back of the van with a grunt. I got in the driver's side and decided to forgo the silence in stealth and just hit the gas. I had to get to a hospital to get Roman what he needed quickly before there was bigger trouble.

"_Cambria, you're going the wrong way!_" came Brian over the speaker.

"On the contrary, I'm going where I need to go right now," I replied. I knew this was true too. Roman was starting to look at me like I was dinner and I wasn't liking that very well. My blood was fresh and undiseased, a much better candidate than the passenger in the back. I was in slight panic mode, but I had to maintain my cool, otherwise, I'd be dead.

Once at the hospital, I locked the van. I had to get to the supplies quickly. I ran as fast as my feet could carry me, reminding me grimly of that cold, rainy night from not so long ago. I shook my memories away and finally found the room I needed to find. For the sake of keeping Roman's dignity, I didn't ask Brian for directions.

I got back to the van and basically shoved the 'bag of goodies' at Roman. He delved into it greedily and I knew that if that wasn't enough, he'd have to go on lock-down again. I won't get into that right now.

We made it back to the base just in time. Roman seemed to be better, but his senses were far from near him. He was still in 'crazy mode' as I liked to call it. So, I made taking him to his room a priority. I literally ran back to the van for the remaining cargo though. A zombie couldn't be left alone. I took the zombie to my lab and shut it in a container for study. _I better get started on this right away._ I knew there were families that were separated due to this horrible disease and I had to do something to fix it.

Some time later, after some debate with myself on how to get a proper sample, I got a sample of the subject. It turned out, they still had blood flowing through them. The differences in blood would have to be the first thing analyzed on the road to getting a cure. I worked for many hours. I don't know how many...

* * *

Brian

I knew Cambria and Roman had returned, so I ran to check on them. I knew there was some panic over the speakers, so I had to see if they were all right. Roman was in his room, a 'Do Not Disturb' sign on his door. Cambria, however, was in her lab. I knew I shouldn't bother her, considering as how she was working on the cure, but after 11:00 at night, I decided to go in and check on her.

I went into the lab and found Cambria with her head down on her desk. She was curled up and breathing slowly. I assumed she was asleep. I looked around the lab and noticed the zombie and a few rats in cages. There was one rat that was especially interesting since it looked like a zombie rat. _Cambria must still be thinking about conducting humane tests by first testing it on rats,_ I thought. I personally thought that testing things on animals was as cruel and inhumane as testing things on humans. I could make an exception in this case though.

I quietly called to Cambria to try to wake her up. "Cambria... wake up, Cambria..." I quietly said.

Cambria moaned and slowly sat up, eyes still closed. She quickly opened them in realization and said, "Oh, no! How long have I been asleep?!"

"I don't know, I just came in here. It's 11:00 at night," I said. Her eyes opened widely and I saw her head dart in a direction where a clock was. She ran her hands on her head.

"I've been asleep two hours at the very least. I'm supposed to be working on a cure and I'm _sleeping_," she said. She sounded upset.

"Hey, Cambria, it's okay..." I tried to reassure her.

"No, it's not okay, Brian! A million lives are on the line and it's all because of me! It's all because of me." She said the last part quietly. She turned her face from me and I noticed her shoulders started shaking as she began quietly sobbing. She was really getting emotional over this. "It's all my fault, Brian. Do you know what it's like to know you endangered someone's life when you could have done something about it?"

"Cambria..."

"No! Go away! I don't..." she sniffed and hunched further into herself.

"Cambria..."

"What?!" she snapped. She had turned around and I saw how red her eyes had gotten already. I smiled softly and put my arms around her, embracing her. She began sobbing again and I realized I hadn't done this very often. It was new and different, but I was glad I was there for her.

"It's okay, Cambria. You'll get this. For now, just get some sleep. Things will be better in the morning," I assured her as I petted her head. Her sobbing quieted and soon stopped. She looked at me with a desperate look a person only gives when they are deciding whether or not to trust someone. I gave her a small smile and she gave a small one back. She then seized me in a tighter embrace than what we were already in. I was shocked, but let her hug me because I knew she needed it.

"Okay," she said quietly. She pulled out of the hug and I followed her until we reached her room. We both lingered there, neither of us wanting to leave. "Well... good night, Brian, and... thank you." She gave a look of confidence and I knew I was right. Things would be better in the morning.

* * *

**I know, you guys were probably expecting something more action-y, but don't worry, it's coming! We shall soon see why this story is called Magic Man ;) Does anybody know what's different about Roman yet? Hmm... Please keep reading and reviewing to find out what happens next, thanks, guys :)**


	8. Chapter 8: Mad Mob

Chapter 8: Mad Mob

Cambria

After some sleep, I got right back to work. I had the zombie strapped to a table. This table was on pneumatics that made it so that I could adjust the table. Right now, I had it straight up and down. The zombie was thrashing about, making sick noises. I was trying to ignore it while I looked at my notes. I had gotten a sample from the zombie. I had gotten the disease into a rat. I knew how to get it in, but not to get it out. I thought perhaps blood might be the key to this. It was, after all, how it could get in in the first place.

The zombie made some more noise, but I took up a dagger and threw it in the creature's direction. "Oh, do shut up," I said. The dagger wound up being pinned on the left sleeve of the zombie's shirt. I was about to get back to work, but a familiar and unsettling scent filled my nostrils and stopped me from doing so. "So, you made it to the underground after all, brother."

"I would suppose so, sister," he replied. I turned around and saw he had a lit cigar in his left hand and his right hand was in his pocket.

"There's no smoking in the laboratory," I said calmly. He startled me by charging me and pinning me to the control center for the lab (which was a table-high control center with buttons, levers, and switches).

"I can smoke if I choose to, sister," he hissed at me, his smoky breath making me gag. He backed away and took a deep intake of his cigar before continuing. "I suppose it wouldn't be very safe to be smoking among flammable chemicals though." The smoke seeped out of his mouth as he spoke. He took another intake and said, "So... are you enjoying your specimen?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand your meaning, brother."

He rolled his eyes. "Your little boyfriend... Brian." He came close to me again. "Surely you don't think I was meaning to say you'd be stupid enough to experience a sickly? Surely not... but perhaps you are." He chuckled deeply.

"What do you want, brother?"

"Why, I want an assurance that you haven't changed your ways. Surely you haven't gone to men now after so many women..."

"First of all, I've only ever been with two women. Secondly, I have been with three men. Two of these men have been in private and before this disaster. My first love was a man... and introducing you to him was obviously a mistake."

"I believe you've become delusional, sister. I remember not any time which you were with a man." He took another puff and blew it into my face. Being cornered on the control center again, I couldn't help but take it in. I gagged. "What was his name, by the way? Was it Harold? Prince? _Killer_?" he asked that last one with meaning.

"Renard, his name was Renard," I replied coldly. "You killed him."

"Did I?! I certainly don't remember that. It seems as if I would recall if I called out a hit on Brandy or brainwashed that alien of yours. Perhaps it would seem like I should recall poisoning a certain Francois or hanging Christopher to make it look like suicide..." he smiled smugly at me, the smoke still seeping from his cigar and mouth. "Surely, you think I would remember pushing a... what was his name again? Rex? Bernard?"

I seized his collar and pinned him to the control center. "_Renard! _You imbecile! You killed _Renard!_"

"Ah... perhaps that name does sound familiar..." he chuckled again. He then surprised me by making us switch places again. "Of course, I didn't come here to discuss business... rather, quite the opposite." He leaned in and I shut my eyes and braced myself.

"Do you need some help getting to the door, William?" came a voice. It was Roman.

"If you were a man, I'd kill you," said William. He came off of me and started heading for the door. "Regrettably, my dear, our fun has been cut short, but rest assured... the moment you no longer have a bodyguard, I'll tear you apart." He left and I finally found the nerve within myself to turn on the lab fans to filter the smoke out.

"Thank you, Roman," I said.

"You shouldn't let him push you around like that," said Roman.

"Do you think I _want _him to? I'm just... I'm just scared of him, Roman. He's done things... many horrible things. He's made me be quiet about them for a very long time." I felt tears threatening to come out, but I wouldn't let them.

"Cambria..."

"Don't, Roman, just don't. You don't understand and you never will."

"Help me to understand then." I looked at him harshly before storming out of the lab. I needed a break. So, I went to my room and played a few rounds of solitaire with a deck of cards.

* * *

Brian

I had a bouquet of flowers I wanted to give Cambria. It seemed like a good thing to do. I was surprised when I found out there was a flower vendor that had set up shop below ground. Naturally, I bought them. I needed to express to Cambria how much I appreciated her company.

I went to the lab, where I thought she would be, and instead of finding Cambria, I found Roman. "Where's Cambria?" I asked.

"She is most likely in her room. She's been stressed out lately, so she went to her room to cool off," said Roman.

"What's got her so stressed?"

"I won't divulge that to you, even though I can already tell the ties between you two are strengthening to dangerous levels."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He sighed, sounding reluctant to tell me anything. "Does this have to do with her brother?"

Roman looked shocked. "How do you know about that?"

"He came into our house and put a gun to my head. He said it was either my life or the lives of Rhode Island's residents."

Roman came close to me and glared at me. "I don't know what she sees in you, but if it's love, I suggest you stay away. Too many people have fallen when they have gotten close to her. The only reason I never did was for an entirely different reason... and no, we're not dating."

"But you love her?"

"I care for her, but I am no longer capable of any emotions, especially when I get my cravings."

"What do you mean by that?"

Roman came in close and whispered in my ear. "_I'm a vampire._" He backed away to gauge my reaction.

I laughed. "You're joking, right?"

"I only wish I were, Brian."

I frowned. "Well, why hasn't anyone died yet?"

"No one has died because I usually have blood from blood drives that I drink... or hospitals, whichever is most convenient. I also order blood from across the black market."

"So... no one's in danger from you?"

"The only reason why anyone would be in danger is if I were having my cravings. I can usually last a small time without blood, up to three days, but I try to stay away from living organisms as much as possible."

"Oh, okay." I started walking out. "So, she's in her room then?"

"She already knew I was a vampire and yes, she is in her room."

"I-I'm not sure how I'm supposed to respond to this."

"Just leave."

"Okay." _Vampires... zombies... what's next? Wolf-men? _I thought as I headed toward Cambria's room.

When I reached her door, she was just coming out. "Oh, hey, Brian... how's it goin'?" she asked nervously.

"Fine... is there something wrong, Cambria?" I asked.

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong, what makes you think something's wrong?"

"You're acting a little jumpy."

"It's... private. What did you want?"

"I wanted to give you these," I said, presenting the flowers to Cambria.

"They're nice, Brian. That was really sweet of you to get me flowers. I'll just put these in water and then we can go down to my lab together. I always find it nice to have someone with me to keep me company. Will you wait for me?"

"Sure."

"Great! I'll be right out." She hastily closed the door. It took a few minutes, but she soon came out. She looked a little out of breath about something, but I shook it off.

Right when we were in the lab's vicinity, we met a huge mob. Roman broke out of the crowd, out of breath, and said, "It's a mad mob that we have before us today, Cambria, a mad mob."

Cambria narrowed her eyes and went past him. She stood up to the crowd and blew a loud whistle with her fingers. "What's going on here?" she asked sternly.

"Perhaps you should tell us, Cambria. Why do you have a vampire in your employ?" a bold voice asked. The crowd parted to reveal the smug face of William. "Don't you dare deny it either. You know how much our father hated liars."

Cambria gritted her teeth in anger and growled. Then, she sighed and bowed her head in defeat. "Yes, I have a vampire in my employ. He's here because he has nowhere else to go... and... he's dying."

"Well then, perhaps we can accelerate his death," said William, bringing out a gun. He held it to Roman's face, but Cambria interceded.

"No! No, brother. This is my territory down here... and as such, you shall follow my rules or be banished."

"You don't have it in you." William smiled smugly.

"Try me." Her look was like that of a sharp blade: it could kill... in no time at all. "This is your first strike. Two more public offenses like this and I swear you're going outside, regardless of our blood relationship."

"Ooh, I'm so scared too." He scoffed. To Roman, he said, "Enjoy your last days of life. Freaks like you ought to die... and I'll make sure of it. As you can see by this mob, I'm not the only one who thinks having a vampire down here is a danger to the society... but of course, you have enough to deal with, don't you Cambria? How's that cure coming, by the way?"

"I'm working on it."

"Yes, I can tell by that scent you try so vainly to hide that you've been doing a great deal toward finding the cure for this disease. Remember, Cambria, I have the deck stacked in my favor. The good hand is mine. To play this game would be as foolish as it would be deadly. Consider this before making any lasting connections."

"If you lay a hand on anyone to hurt them, even if it is well within your right..."

"Oh, spare me. You don't have it... and you never did." He turned around and began walking away, but Cambria stopped him.

"How are Abel and Liza, William? I do hope they are enjoying their _vacation _as you have so lovingly called it."

William let out a small chuckle. "I'd watch your back if I were you... because you might soon join them." He walked away without another word.

"I want no one in my laboratory... no matter what. Do the two of you understand me?" Cambria asked me and Roman.

"Cambria..." began Roman.

"I don't care, Roman, just let me be," said Cambria. To me she said, "And as for you..." she looked angry. She looked to make sure the crowd had gone, which it had, then she grabbed my shoulders and locked her lips with mine. I was surprised, but it wasn't very long before I went with it. I brought my hands around her to bring her closer, but she pulled away. "For goodness sake, Brian, be _careful._ You don't want to be on my brother's list at all." I was still shocked from the kiss. Cambria rolled her eyes, almost playfully, and turned to Roman, "Take care of him, will you? I think I finally have a chance for something better." She smiled at me, winked, and said, "See you later."

Once Cambria was in her lab, I was knocked out of my reverie by Roman clapping me hard on the back. "You have no idea what you just got yourself into," he said. Unintelligible sounds were the only things passing my lips at the moment, so Roman spoke again. "Come on, you poor sap." He grabbed my hand and dragged me away, presumably to my room, but I couldn't take my eyes off of the door to Cambria's lab. I couldn't take my mind off of that kiss. I couldn't take my heart off of her. _Whatever it takes, Cambria, we're going to make this work, _I silently vowed.

* * *

**Aw, he's lovestruck! Poor Brian. Anyway, you guys found out what was up with Roman. Was that predictable or out of the blue? Don't worry about the comment about him dying. As of right now, I don't intend to kill him and I may never, so no tears for Roman until something actually happens. This chapter was more of filler/information giver than anything. Not much action. Sorry. Next chapter might be better though, we'll see what I come up with, because as of right now, I'm like you guys, I have no idea what's going to happen next. I never know until I begin typing. So, I hope you guys will keep reading and reviewing, because there's more to come. Please and thank you, guys :)**


	9. Chapter 9: More

Chapter 9: More

Brian

After Cambria gave me that unexpected kiss, I found myself wanting more. It was as if I had just gotten a taste of something new, exotic, and sweet, and I wanted to taste it again. Cambria's kiss was simple, yet... I don't know what it was about it that was different from the other kisses I have exchanged between other women over time. Maybe this time... maybe this time I actually had a chance at something long-lasting... and not a simple 'in and out' relationship.

I was currently walking down the hallway, heading to Cambria's lab. I wanted to see her again. I know it was only last night since I last saw her, but it felt like a much longer gap of time.

I reached her lab and I knocked on the door. In my nervousness, I almost gave up, but the door almost immediately opened. Cambria was dressed in an acid-stained shirt and pants as well as a lab coat. She smiled when she saw me and said, "Come in, come in! I think I'm close to a breakthrough!"

I followed her in and nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw the zombie on the raised platform. I noticed it wasn't likely to go anywhere though. I laughed. "Before I met you, I didn't think any of these things were possible. I mean, zombies, vampires, those are the things of science fiction!"

"Of course, but all fiction has some basis with fact. For example, it was through a dream that Ms. Mary Shelley came up with the monster Frankenstein. Vampires came about from Vlad Dracula's thirst for the blood of his people... in a killing sort of way. It is not confirmed if he is an actual vampire. It is before Roman's time," said Cambria.

"How old is Roman?" I asked.

"He never would say... he has only dropped hints here and there. He is from Romania though, which, Romania is the former Transylvania, so it makes sense." She paused. "This doesn't bother you that Roman is a vampire, does it?"

"Oh, no! I just... it's different for me."

"It is for most people." I didn't know what to say to this. She went on, "Well..." she took a deep breath. "...shall we give it a try?"

"You have the cure then?"

"I'm not sure yet... hopefully I do. It would suck if this went south or north."

"South or north?"

"South means it goes bad and I under-do it, but north means I overshoot it and over-do it."

"Oh."

"Yeah... so, let's do this. Let's equip you, because there is a 54.9% chance that he will blow up."

"What?!"

"It's no big deal. Really... but just in case, here is a hazmat suit for you and I'll just put on mine. I'll lock the door and open the air vents to full. Don't worry, the fumes go outside up there, they don't filter into the colony down here."

"Oh, okay." I put on the suit and Cambria zipped me in. I did the same with her. She had a special look in her eyes as she had her hand on a lever. It was excitement and madness compiled into one glint of the eyes.

"Ready?" she turned to me, her eyes literally sparkling.

"As I'll ever be."

"Okay, just duck down behind the control panel, just in case this does go south or north." She flipped the lever and I watched as a liquid filtered through tubes attached to the zombie. It was a purple liquid, which appeared medicinal enough to me, so I was beginning to think it would work. It went into the zombie and I noticed its veins turn the color of the liquid. It thrashed about and, for a short moment, it made human noises. Its eyes flashed between a human green and a color of death. Its body then shrunk, but I could see no more after that since Cambria pulled me down. We huddled in the space underneath the control panel and a short minute or so later, there was indeed an explosion.

We poked our heads up and looked at the debris strewn across the lab. "Hmm, I expected an explosion, but I guess I just didn't think it would happen. At least I have an idea what to expect," said Cambria.

"Didn't you test this on the rat first?!" I asked, shocked at what had just happened.

"Of course I tested it on the rat first. The rat died rather peacefully and seemed to go to normal, so I thought the dosage was perhaps too large for the rat, but now I know that it wasn't the dosage in the slightest. I'll have to try something else and for that, I'll need a new zombie."

"Don't you have the disease in bottles?"

"Are you suggesting I subject the healthy with the disease? No! I need a live sample in order to determine the fullness of the effects. Just because something works chemically doesn't mean it will work with the subject. Now, let me see..." she looked at her clipboard of notes, flipping through various pages. "Ah, I think I see where I went wrong now. My bad. We'll just get a new zombie and I'll have my mistake corrected."

"Okay, do you want me to find Roman?"

"Actually... he moved out last night."

"Really?"

"Yeah, he wasn't appreciating all of the verbal abuse he was getting from the other people down here, so he took wing toward home."

"Romania?"

"No, actually he has a nice little studio apartment in Providence that he stays in with his uncle, who is also a vampire. Romania... he's banned from ever setting foot in Romania ever again."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

"Hey, it's no big deal. It'll just be you and me then."

"Out there... with the diseased zombies?" I could hardly believe my ears.

Cambria rolled her eyes. "Fine, I've had another candidate come up to me who seemed better fit for it anyway."

"Who?"

"Stewie."

"Stewie?! There's no way I'm letting Stewie go out there with all those zombies!"

"What are you, his father? His mother? His brother? No, you're his dog, which, as I've come to understand through a few talks between he and I, you're very special to him."

"Well... I'm the only one who has fully understood him and I've stuck by him when the rest of his family didn't or couldn't. He's my friend."

"That's really sweet, Brian, but you're sure you'd be willing to go outside with us? After all, you have nothing to prove here."

"I... I just want to make sure you and Stewie are safe."

"Okay, tough guy, come on." She directed me to a room where I could clean myself off to make sure none of the disease might have seeped through the suit. While we were cleaning ourselves, the lab was cleaning itself, thanks to a cleaning robot. When we got the okay, we exited the lab and made our way to where the children would be. We were able to make up the excuse that we wanted to babysit Stewie, which, for the most part, was true.

Cambria then led us to the weapons storage. Roman had left his zombie weapons behind, so we all had our own. We got some gear on and headed to the van. We were ready to go.

* * *

Cambria

After we got in the van, I drove it up top. It was a little unnerving, considering what happened last time and the huge risk we were taking by being among the diseased. Something had to be done though. I couldn't let a million people suffer like this.

We roamed the streets, which were eerily quiet. I decided to poke fun at the situation to lighten the mood. "Why don't we run out of gas and just wander around town on foot? That'll be really safe." I smiled, hoping to get a good response.

"Actually, the van is making a lot of noise and it might actually be beneficial to abandon it and go on foot," said Stewie.

I sighed deeply. "Whatever." I turned the key and the van turned off, but momentum kept it rolling for a little bit. I pulled the emergency brake and we got out of the van.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Brian.

"I'm not really sure of anything other than what I can sense," I replied. "Listen, we'll find a zombie and bring him back to the van. Then, we'll book it out of here. I know for a fact that carrying the zombie on foot is a terrible idea. They squirm too much and we'd risk getting diseased."

"Isn't that the purpose of this full body armor though?" asked Brian. "So that we don't get affected?"

"Well... it's a precaution, but it's not fool-proof. A person can feed a killer whale before a show, but does that mean that the killer whale won't eat you? No, it's just a precaution taken," I replied. Shortly after I said that, I heard a moaning nearby. "Zombie," I whispered. I ran toward the sound, Stewie and Brian following, and we wound up with a zombie in the nearby alley.

"Oh, that was convenient. There just happens to be a zombie right where we stopped," said Stewie.

"You're right, Stewie. This was too easy," I said.

"Why can't we just grab him and go?" asked Brian.

I pulled out my scanner to scan the area, but it began getting fuzzy on me. "Come on..." I said, tapping it on the side. I gave up after a few taps and put the device away. "The tower that I use for this must be down. We have no idea of knowing if we're walking into an ambush or not."

"Are zombies even smart enough to plan ambushes?" asked Brian.

"Are house flies really smart enough to evade a fly swatter?" I countered. "I believe the answer to both questions is yes... sadly."

"So, what do we do?" asked Brian.

"I like R.P.A.'s," I replied.

"What are R.P.A.'s?" asked Stewie.

In reply, I shot my net gun at the zombie only for several zombies to come out of hiding in the alley and our surrounding area. "Random Plans of Attack," I replied. I reeled in the zombie and would have been able to head straight back to the van, but the zombies were quickly surrounding us. "All right, new R.P.A." I took out my machete and sliced the head off one of the zombies blocking our path. Brian and Stewie caught on, using their melee weapons to thin the herd. Unfortunately, once the path was clear for us to get free, there were zombies surrounding the van. There was no way we were getting out that way.

"Any other R.P.A.'s?" asked Stewie in the same tone one would ask 'Any more bright ideas?'

"I do happen to have something on hand for this situation," I replied. I threw down a smoke bomb and grabbed Brian's paw and picked up Stewie. I ran away from the zombies until we were well away from them. I ducked into an alley and took the time to catch my breath. Brian was also panting desperately for air. It didn't take long before I had the gumption to move again. "Okay, come on, let's go."

"Where?" asked Brian.

"We'll hide until it gets dark. Zombies don't like the cold as well as the heat. They can't stand it. At least... that's what my studies show," I said.

"Where do you suggest we hide?" asked Brian.

"Well, they're not very good climbers yet, it would appear, so we're hiding in a higher building. Come on," I said. We ran on for some time before we reached a multi-level apartment complex. We began our climb up the fire escape. I broke into one of the windows by cracking it open with my machete. I aimed my gun all around the apartment, checking every room, every nook and cranny. When I found there were no zombies, I locked the apartment door and Brian and Stewie set to locking the windows.

After securing the place, I said, "We should be safe now... but... if I'm wrong... if the darkness isn't cold enough to subdue them... we'll have to come up with something else."

"Couldn't we work on the cure from here?" asked Stewie.

"We _could, _but back at the base... oh, shoot, it's not there at all..." I said absent-mindedly.

"What isn't there?" asked Stewie.

"The source of the gas. There's a central hub where all the gas came from. The only way to distribute the cure with any efficiency is to do it from there," I said.

"So... where is the hub then?" asked Brian.

I hesitated because I hated the place. "It's... at my brother's house. The fortress I had escaped from shortly before I met you, Brian."

"Do you know where it is from here?" asked Brian.

"Yes... but I won't like going back there," I replied.

"What _did _your siblings do to you?" asked Brian.

"I don't want to talk about it. Anyway, we should conserve energy for tonight. With any luck, we _should _be able to make the cure here, but we'd still need a live subject. Then, once we found the cure, we'd have to send it out through the central hub at my brother's house," I said.

"Well, that shouldn't be too difficult," said Stewie. I just looked at him and Brian doubtfully. The cure I believed I could do, but going back to my brother's house after so many bad memories and a narrow escape, that was what I was most afraid of.

* * *

**Okay, so I think that's a good place to end the chapter. What shall happen next I wonder? I'm not entirely sure yet, so we shall find out, won't we? Please keep reading and reviewing, thanks :)**


	10. Chapter 10: Family Matters

Chapter 10: Family Matters

Cambria

I didn't like the situation we had found ourselves in. Perhaps I was afraid of my siblings when facing them alone, but I was much more afraid to face them with Brian and Stewie. I had come to care for Brian, even though it had only been a short time that I had known him. As for Stewie, well, he was a child... a child lacking in morality, but a child nonetheless.

So, we went to the mansion... the source of 97% of my nightmares. The other 3% is unimportant. I may or may not bring that part up. Anyway, the mansion is surrounded by an outer wall. This outer wall is a huge stone wall with a huge wooden door. Once past the door, there's a vast forest and a few foot trails. Some of them lead to the mansion and some of them lead to other spots on the grounds.

Outside the gate, I was wondering how we would get in. I thought that since I saw my brother William underground that they must all be underground, but an arrow landing at my feet soon denied that suspicion. I looked up and in the direction the arrow came from. I knew my brother, the marksman, had shot that arrow.

"Mark, do we really need to do this?" I asked. Okay, maybe it wasn't a good idea to try and negotiate with any of my siblings, but of the ones living, he was the second most agreeable.

"You are trespassing on private grounds, Cambria, and you know you have been banned from returning," said Mark from somewhere in the shadows.

"Can't we put that aside? I just need to get inside so that I can-"

"Get to the central hub and distribute a cure that you don't have but you wish to make in your laboratory on the grounds," Mark finished for me.

"Right... so?"

"Nope. Can't. There are still rules which I must follow."

I groaned. "You suck worse than William."

That got him. He suddenly landed in front of us and menacingly said, "Don't you ever compare me to him. _Ever._"

"Well, it's hard not to, considering you both committed the same sins," I pointed out.

"I wished no part in what was done... but I did so out of fear of him. You know that."

"So what? He's just our older brother. What's to fear?"

"There is much more to this than you know, sister."

"Listen, brother, I only act this way to calm myself. Loosen up! Perhaps you might feel better as well."

"The only way I can survive is if I keep myself like my arrows: straight, true, and steady."

"Brother... please?"

He hesitated. "Brother and our two sisters are on the grounds. We came back after the disease cooled down. I will let you enter, but only because I think there may be mercy upon you."

"And why would that be?"

"Anya has become you."

"Really?"

"The last I saw, she was scrubbing the stairs and the polished floor in the entryway."

"I will never understand our brother... never."

"You're not the only one. Follow me." He pulled then pushed the gate open. The large door made me feel small. It was like invading giant territory.

Down the paths we went. It wasn't until now that I was able to fully appreciate the beauty of the landscaping. While it was mostly trees and shrubs, the kinds of plants you would find in a forest, it was well laid out and beautiful in a subtle way.

We soon came upon the fence surrounding the house: a stone wall with a black steel fence. Mark took out his key and unlocked the lock on the fence (even though we could have jumped over the wall). We went up the last stretch to the house: a winding path leading to the house steps. Since it was a mansion of a house, there were many steps to reach the porch. After the porch, of course, is the door.

"Do you want to knock?" asked Mark.

"I'm not knockin'," I said.

"Well, one of us has to knock. Let's rock-paper-scissors for it."

"Fine... rock, paper, scissors, shoot." Upon the 'shoot,' I shot paper and he shot scissors. I groaned aloud, feeling stupid. "Why didn't I remember you always shoot scissors?"

"You always thought it would be best not to take anyone for granted in this game."

"I should have shot rock. Logically speaking, nothing beats rock."

"Except paper."

"If rock-paper-scissors was anything close to real life, rock would always win." It was then I realized I had to knock on the door. I looked up at the knocker: a lion with the handle in its mouth. I raised it and knocked three times: the signal for family.

The door opened to reveal Anya. From inside the house, I heard: "Anya, get back to your cleaning!" It was William's voice, without a doubt. Anya reluctantly let us in and went straight back to scrubbing the floors.

"Well, well, well, sister," said William from the base of the stairs.

"Is that my sister?" came the voice of Delores from the top of the stairs. (Her first name was Delores, but her middle name was Nadine. She preferred to be called Nadine, but I enjoyed calling her Delores.)

"Hello, Delores," I said.

She frowned and addressed William with: "She still has the nerve to call me Delores! No matter how many times I tell her I hate the name, she still refers to me by it."

"Calm yourself, Nadine. All is well," said William.

It wasn't until this moment, upon coming onto the grounds, that I felt under-dressed. With Anya in a maid's outfit, Delores in a great ball gown, (great as in huge, not good-looking) and William in a suit and cravat, it was hard to not feel under-dressed. Although Mark made me feel more comfortable since he had on his sniper suit, which was similar enough to what Brian, Stewie, and I were wearing that it really didn't seem to matter.

"Perhaps, brother, the game has gone on long enough," said Mark. It was almost a command, which surprised me.

"No, brother, I don't think the game has gone on for _nearly _long enough. You see, I won't stop until everything has been fulfilled. I don't care which road I have to take so long as I get there," replied William.

"What exactly do you think you are doing, brother?" I asked.

"Simple. I need certain things to be in order and they cannot while I have an odd number of siblings. It is especially taxing when just when I get an even number, another feels they have to test my patience. However, I feel this shall soon be remedied... won't it, Nadine?" he asked.

"Oh, indeed, my brother. Everything shall be as it should be very soon," replied Delores.

"Whatever; I don't have time for cryptic code. Just let me use my laboratory, do what I have to do, and then I shall never have need of entering your life ever again," I told William.

"Oh, of course, Cambria, we would love to have you in your laboratory and save all of Rhode Island. There's only one problem..." said William.

"That is...?" I asked.

William laughed. "I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation in which you have entered yourself in. You, an amateur game player are entering the game with an expert game player. Now, I am in no way perfect, but I think it is fairly obvious who the winner should be."

"I really don't care, William. I'm tired of playing the game. If I have to use my game-ending move now, I will," I said.

"I don't believe you have a game-ending move," he said.

"I have faith," I said.

William laughed. "Ask yourself, Cambria... who is more in tune with the spirits... you... or me?" he asked. He stared me down, but I didn't flinch. I was so tired of what I was dealing with that I was getting near the end of my rope of patience. I just started walking toward my laboratory, but William stopped me. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"

"My lab," I replied dryly.

"No, you don't." He grabbed my collar, choking me. It was such a common occurrence that I forgot that I wore a collar around my neck like every other dog. This was currently to my disadvantage.

"Hey! Let her go," said Brian, punching William in the snout. William let go of me and fell to the floor. His nose was already bleeding. I was astonished and scared.

"Come on, you two, we better get going," I said, grabbing Stewie and Brian by their hands and running toward the lab. Once in the lab, I locked the door and set to work.

* * *

Brian

As Cambria worked, I was finding it hard to wrap my mind around just what they had been talking about. Cambria and William kept saying something about 'playing a game' and who was more 'in tune with the spirits.' I didn't know what I had gotten myself into... again. Every time I felt like Cambria was just a normal person, she would surprise me with something strange and unreal.

She mixed up a lot of chemicals in a hurried manner. It wasn't long before there was a loud banging at the door and William shouting. "_Cambria! Open this door this instant!_"

"Kiss my ass! Why would I let you in?" said Cambria, as she poured a blue liquid and a red liquid into a clear solution, making the whole thing purple.

"_You'll let me in, otherwise I'll call upon the forces of those beyond you__!_"

"Whatever, William!" She was now using both hands and her mouth for holding and transferring chemicals. "I have a minor in Chemistry, what do you have? Oh, wait, you have a minor in being an asshole!"

"_You have a lot of nerve, Cambria Eunice!_"

"Oh, so we're doing middle names now, are we Mr. William Gaylord?"

"_YOU'RE DEAD!_"

Cambria scoffed as she swirled around a solution in a beaker. She sniffed it before pulling back quickly. "Ugh, the smell is utterly repulsive. Let's see if it works." She took something from her pack that looked like a grenade. She opened the top of the grenade and poured the liquid in. She sealed the container and headed for the door. William was still banging on it. "Okay, this may be a snag in the otherwise flawless plan." She went back to the lab table and got a beaker filled with a clear liquid.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It might be acid," Cambria replied soberly. I didn't know whether she was joking or not. She opened the door and threw the liquid in William's face. He fell to the ground screaming that his face was burning, leaving Cambria, Stewie, and I time to escape.

Once we were outside, we didn't stop running until we were far past the gate. We walked back into town and Cambria pulled us into an alleyway. "Now what do we do?" I asked.

"Well, we drop this on a zombie and make sure it works. If it doesn't, then we'll have to try something else."

"Doesn't this need to be in a gas form?" asked Stewie.

"That's what this casing is for. Inside is a small stick in here that heats up the liquid. When I pull the pin, it releases the liquid in the form of a gas."

"Wow," I said.

"Yeah, I try," said Cambria. A zombie started shuffling by, so Cambria threw the bomb in the zombie's direction. The gas released and caused the zombie to fall to the ground. It began transforming back into a person.

"Hmm, you saved a black guy," said Stewie.

"Do you... do you think that will affect how effective it is with other people?" I asked.

"No, I don't. Humans are humans regardless of race. We'll have to take him back to the room to see if he's well or not. If this has worked as fully as I think it has, then we have the solution for saving Rhode Island," said Cambria.

"But how do we know we can trust this guy?" asked Stewie.

"An invalid point. Look, he's dressed well and he doesn't smell guilty. Those are two counts in his favor," said Cambria.

"How can you smell guilt?" asked Stewie.

"The same way we can smell cancer and low blood pressure: it's the chemicals released," replied Cambria.

"So, there are chemicals released that tell you if a person is guilty or not?" asked Stewie skeptically.

"No, no, there are chemicals released if a person _feels _guilty," said Cambria.

"This isn't helping his case at all," said Stewie.

"Look, let's just get back to the apartment and we'll figure it out there," said Cambria, already lifting up the guy under one arm. I sighed deeply and took up the other side. "Thank you, Brian," she said softly.

"Yeah," I replied. We dragged the man back to the apartment. Once there, Cambria started taking blood tests and looking the man over for any signs of the disease that may have lingered. As she did this, I thought about our experience at the mansion of Cambria's siblings. I thought my family matters were strained until I saw hers. _What exactly is going on with her family? _I thought.

* * *

**What, indeed? Also, what are your impressions on Cambria's family? Crazy, right? Anyway, I hope you guys will keep reading and reviewing. Please and thank you :)**


	11. Chapter 11: Simplicity

Chapter 11: Simplicity

Cambria

Okay, so maybe it's not easy to find the right chemicals. For me, I can usually find a solution in under three tries. If it goes beyond that though, my frustration starts to kick in and I feel horrible about myself. Fortunately, the formula I had synthesized worked. The man was completely human. There was no sign of the disease outwardly on his skin nor inwardly in his blood. The only problem was... I needed to go back to my brother's house to mass produce it. Which was completely and utterly the opposite of simplicity.

"I can't do it," I said to no one in particular. I sat in a chair, holding my hands together sadly. "I've seen things that would make most people hurl. I've done things only the best daredevils would ever dare do. I've looked death itself in the face and laughed. The one thing I cannot do... the one thing I cannot face is my horrible family."

My mom and dad were good people. My mother was a gypsy, yes, but she was a good woman. My father might have been a little rough with people who had just gotten acquainted with him, but he was a good man. Abel and Liza were the only siblings of mine who treated me like family. I have no idea why the other ones were so cold or even brutal to me. The only way it made any sense was that I knew the game that was being played all too well. I knew about the prophesy, yes, I did. I looked at Brian, who was sleeping on the couch, and my sadness reached a new low. I... I won't go into what the prophesy means for Brian nor I nor anyone else. I just know that once it happens, it will be one of the single greatest hardships I've had to face yet.

Brian stirred and sat up, waking up. I smiled slightly. If any part of the prophesy was true, I had nothing to worry about. If I was wrong... I did not want to think about the consequences of that.

"How are you, Brian?" I asked.

"I'm fine. I slept really well. You?" he asked.

"I couldn't sleep much. I was thinking on things."

"What kind of things?" asked Stewie, coming into the room.

"Nothing bad, just... well, it's inconsequential right now, but it will be _very _consequential soon," I said.

"So... what's the plan for today?" asked Brian.

"The three of you are heading back to the underground. I must go on alone," I said.

"Why? Why do you choose to do this? Your brothers and sisters were anything but nice to you yesterday. If you think you're going back alone, you've got a whole new thing coming," said Brian.

"I can take care of myself," I said with a shrug.

"For how long?" I didn't have an answer to that. Brian sighed. "Please... let me come with you. I can protect you."

"Why? So I can watch you get beat up? You're hardly battle ready. Even if you _did _come with me, do you really think this is something you want to do?"

"I usually wouldn't do this for someone outside the family, but... I don't know what it is, but I think you're really... important to me."

"If you choose this path, there is no turning back from it. I am not a woman who can be pursued so easily as with chocolates and flowers. In order for me to form a connection, there has to be a power saying that it can be done. As of right now, you're not ready. I know you're not, so it's better if you just go back."

"Meanwhile, I let you go back alone?"

"It is necessary."

"It's needless!"

I stared at Brian, not sure what to say to get him to do as I asked. There was something building inside of him already, oh, yes, there was, but it wasn't enough. He needed much more. "Brian... I think you should follow me somewhere... to a place where everything will become much clearer."

"Where?"

"You'll see."

The man was awake now and easily followed us. We went back to the underground and dropped off the cured man and Stewie. This was something for Brian and I alone.

We walked for a while, making our way to Providence. The city wasn't that far away by car, but on foot was much harder. It wasn't like the zombies had lessened either. We had to tread carefully.

Once in Providence, we went to a place where a bunch of storage houses were. Storage house number 77 was the one I was looking for. No one was there to help us, so I took the key to the storage house so that I could unlock it. Once at the door, I unlocked it and pushed the door up. Inside were some very important relics. These relics were stored away until this day.

On the walls of the storage house were murals. I started telling the story as Brian followed. "A long time ago, magic was strong among man. It was so strong it caused the Black Plague. The spirits were displeased with man for abusing the great power, so they gave the power to the animals. Of course, not all animals received magic. It was reserved for a chosen few.

"As time went on, magic grew weaker in the bigger societies. It was so much so that it could only be found in the smaller societies. People started losing faith in the great works. The spirits were much less inclined to bestow the blessing.

"It has been over 100 years since the time of the last one containing true magic. As he lay on his death bed, he made a prophesy: 'Whosoever among you is found with an empty heart and a stubborn way shall be the one the spirits will choose to fill.' Many reached these qualifications, but none have pleased the spirits.

"Then, this last mural was one I added to the collection by the behest of the spirits. I had a dream in which I saw a magic man tearing down his enemies. His heart was broken and his ways were unsure, yet sure. The spirits showed me no more than what he looks like. As you can see... it has to be you."

Brian stared at the mural in shock. "No, no, there's no way I'm the one," he said.

"Brian, it's a lot to take in, I understand that, but there can be no mistake. _You _are the one, the next magic man."

"This... this is all just some ruse of yours to get me to stay away!" Brian accused.

"I'm afraid this couldn't be more true."

"Well... there's gotta be a way to prove it, then."

"There is." I turned to the center of the room where a tarp covered a crate. I removed the tarp and underneath was a golden box. It was the same size as a coffin. "If you are the magic man, then you can open this box."

"Come on, Cambria-"

I put up a hand. "No, I'm afraid I cannot accept excuses. You are either the magic man or I am entirely wrong. So, with that being said, open the box."

* * *

Brian

This was getting way out of hand. I wanted nothing more than to cut my losses and get out of there, but something was drawing me forward still. Perhaps it was a budding love? Perhaps there really was magic? Perhaps I was just beginning to lose my mind? It wouldn't be the first time I thought I was going mad.

As I was pondering what to do, I heard a humming noise coming from the casket-like container. Now, I felt even more drawn toward it. I touched the outside and brought my fingers around to the seam. I lifted the lid. A bright light escaped from the box. When the cover was off, there was nothing in there but sand. It was a bright sand that looked a lot like gold, but it was sand nonetheless. I dove my arms into the sand and felt around. What my paws came into contact with put shivers in my spine. It was a skeleton. A dog's skeleton. I kept feeling around until I felt a great amount of something that was a lot like electricity only it was even more obvious. I tried to clasp my hand around it, but I couldn't touch it. When I tried for it again, I felt a surge go through me like a static shock. I pulled my arms out quickly and the box closed of its own accord.

Once the box was closed, Cambria put her hands on either side of my face. She closed her eyes and appeared to be concentrating on something very deeply. After a moment, she opened her eyes and pulled away slowly. "I thought for sure you were the one," she said sadly.

"What makes you say I'm not all of a sudden?" I asked.

"The spirits also told me that the magic man and I..." she hesitated.

"That you... what?" I asked warily.

"I, um... that's not something you need to concern yourself with." She looked very sad and disappointed, almost to the point of tears. "Come on, we should go." She grabbed my hand and dragged me away, her face turned away from me.

She took me back to the underground and was quickly gathering up gear to go back up top for her mission. I tried to talk her out of it. "Cambria, don't do this. Surely there's another way or someone else you could send?"

"I'm sorry, Brian, but I don't think that's possible anymore. Tell your family they've been a delight and thank them again for taking me in. As for you, Brian... know that I have come to care very deeply for you. Should I survive, I'd like to do something special with you, because... I don't know what you felt, but I felt like we had a connection building between us. Perhaps life hasn't been all that great to us, but perhaps life's way of pushing us around is a way of pushing us closer toward our destinies. I genuinely hope to see you again, Brian Griffin, but in case I don't, I bid you good-bye and ask that you take care of yourself and your family. If you never find love, at least your family loves you," she said. She came forward and kissed me deeply. It felt like one of those kisses that precede a long farewell... or a farewell forever. Whatever the case, I hoped she returned as much as she hoped she would return. Yes, my family did love me, but what is the love of a family to a love of a significant other?

I've had many women in my life... more than I care to recall. I've just been going through the motions, trying to find 'the one.' As time went on and the number of rejections grew, it was becoming more and more impossible that I would be able to find it. Cambria, like the other women, presented a hope. They _represented_ a hope too. Each rejection was a hope toward finding 'the one' on the next try. The only difference between the other women I had dated and Cambria was that there was something different about her. She wasn't the hottest girl I'd dated nor was she all that special, yet... it _felt _like there was something special about her. I didn't know what it was.

As I was thinking about her, I felt my heart rate go up. I also felt an intense heat in my hands as if they were on fire. I looked at them and I saw they were glowing blue. I shaked my hands around, trying to get the glowing to stop, but it remained. What was going on with me? I heard familiar footsteps coming down the corridor ahead, so I hid my hands behind my back. Hopefully, I wouldn't be questioned too deeply or found out.

The footsteps belonged to Stewie. He was alone, thankfully, so I thought I might be able to trust him with this. Besides the fact, the kid was a boy genius. If anyone could figure out what was wrong with me, it would be him. "Hey, Bri, you're looking rather jumpy, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Stewie, we need to go someplace else. I have something to show you. It's something... private." I knew that would make him think things, but I couldn't think of another word that would fit the feeling.

"Oh... okay..." he said hesitantly. "Come on then," he said, waving a hand for me to follow. I hid my hands as best as I could as I followed him. The place he took me turned out to be Cambria's lab. "She really needs to lock this place. Anyway, what seems to be the trouble?"

"Okay, could you promise not to freak out or make fun of me?"

"Sure, Brian, I wouldn't do anything _like _that."

"I'm not joking, kid."

"I- I'm serious too. Look- look at my face. Do you see how serious I am about this?"

When he said nothing more, I said, "Okay..." I pulled my hands from behind my back and showed them to Stewie.

"What- what exactly are you showing me here? Is this- is this one of those _sexual _things?"

"No, Stewie, it's not a- Look, I just have this problem, okay? Can you fix it?"

"Well, in order for me to fix it, Brian, I need to know what the problem is. When did this first start happening?"

"It was just a few minutes ago. Cambria and I came back from... that thing we had to do... and then she left. I started thinking about her and all of a sudden, my hands are glowing."

"Are you _sure _it's not a sexual thing?"

"No! Stewie, we didn't do anything yet!"

"Well, what did you two do then?"

"She took me to this storage place in Providence. She told me this story about this prophecy and said something about a magic man. She told me I was probably the next one, so she told me to open this box. It was mostly sand inside, so I stuck my hands in the box and there was this weird thing in there. I don't know what it was."

"Okay, so let's assume it's that." Stewie took out his phone and pulled up the Internet. "All right, let's assume that it looked like... this?" He pulled up an image. It matched the box exactly. Even though it was just a sketch, it was unmistakable.

"Yes, that's it!"

"According to this article, there is a specific form of Animism that glorifies the spirits of the past, not just ancestors. These people believe that there is a person chosen to wield magical abilities... a 'magic man' is the term used. According to the legend, the magic man is supposed to stop oppressors and protect she or he whom he loves most. The magical person has never been a woman, according to records, but there have been plenty of magic men who have protected women."

"Does it say anything about how to get rid of it?"

"It can only be taken away if the magic man uses his powers unjustly and chooses to have a stone heart. Those with stone hearts have no love at all for anyone."

"Well, is there at least a way for me to get my hands to stop glowing?"

"The magic can be controlled by the magic man, but in times of stress, it becomes harder to control." I groaned, frustrated. I tried calming myself down and the glowing subsided a bit. "There you go, Brian! We better get something to cover your hands though, just in case."

I was still wearing the sniper suit, so I just pulled the gloves out of the pockets. I put them on and I couldn't even see that they were glowing, even though I knew they still were. Then, a thought came to me. "Wait a minute... if I have magic, and I'm not condoning the existence of magic, but if I do, then I can help Cambria."

"Brian, you don't even know what you have!"

"What does the article say?"

"It says the powers vary between who has them. You could have only minimal powers or you could have powers that could destroy you."

"I don't care if my power is the ability to inflict disease upon my victims, I'm going to help Cambria."

"Fine, Brian, just... be careful."

"I'll be fine, kid, just stay with Meg and Chris. I'll be back soon."

"I hope so. I mean, what would I do without you?"

"I'll make it back, kid... I promise." I put a hand on his shoulder to affirm that. Once that was said, I left. I could only hope that this was one of the promises I made that I would be able to keep.

* * *

**I made some "Brian and Stewie" references here. Intense episode. Also, there actually was a superhero that wielded powers that gave enemies diseases. She was called Infectious Lass and she was from DC comics... she was kinda lame. I think that's all the references. Anyway, please keep reading and reviewing, thanks, guys :)**


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